Wound assessment guide

Wound assessment guide - Cardinal Health

11 ago 2020 —

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Cardinal Health SkinHealth360TM
Wound Assessment

Contents
Normal lab values
Wound care associated lab values
Normal lab rationale
Blood glucose Creatinine Complete blood count with differential Serum albumin Serum prealbumin Total lymphocyte count (TLC)
Assess risk
Scoring on the Braden Scale Sensory perception Is the resident exposed to moisture? Activity Mobility Nutrition Friction and shear

Assess wound

1

Anatomic location and age of the wound

7

Size, shape, and stage of the wound

7

Sinus tracts and undermining

8

2

Exudate

8

2

Sepsis (septic wound)

8

2

Surrounding skin

9

2

Maceration

9

2

Edges and epithelialization

9

2

Necrotic tissue

9

Tissue bed

10

3

Status

10

3

Assessment tools

4

Ankle-brachial index (ABI)

10

4

5

5

6

Normal lab values

Wound care associated lab values1

Lab tests can be used to assess resident levels of nutrition, oxygen and cells required for wound healing.

Test

Normal value

Total red blood cell count (RBC)

Females: 4.0­5.5 M/mm3 Males: 4.5­6.2 M/mm3

Hematocrit

Females: 38­46% Males: 42­54%

Hemoglobin

Females: 12­16 g/dL Males: 14­18 g/dL

Total white blood cell count (WBC) 4,500­11,000/mm3

Platelet (thrombocyte) count

150,000­400,000/mm3

Total lymphocyte count (TLC)

>1,800 cells/mm3

Serum albumin

3.5­5.5 g/dL

Serum prealbumin

16­40 mg/dL

Blood glucose (fasting)

70­110 mg/dL

Creatinine

0.8­1.2 mg/dL

1

Normal lab rationale1

Blood glucose
· Increased blood sugar levels are associated with an increased risk of ulceration and impaired wound healing
· Hemoglobin A1C provides a long-term index of the resident's average blood glucose level and is used to monitor diabetes
Creatinine
· A measure of kidney function and protein status · Malnutrition decreases creatinine levels
Complete blood count with differential
· A common test to evaluate three types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets
· May be used to determine anemia, infection and oxygen-carrying capacity
· SED rate will determine infection/inflammatory process

Serum prealbumin
· Prealbumin is a major transport protein · Mortality risk increases as prealbumin levels drop · In contrast to albumin, prealbumin has a relatively short half-life
(three to four days), making it a good indicator of the effect of nutritional intervention · This measurement is not affected by the resident's overall hydration status
Total lymphocyte count (TLC)
· Lymphocyte count is an indirect measure of nutritional status and immune function
· Decreased TLC is associated with delayed wound healing and increased mortality
· Less than 1,500 cells/mm3 indicates immunocompromise · Less than 1,200 cells/mm3 indicates protein deficiency

Serum albumin
· Albumin is a plasma protein produced by the liver that accounts for more than half of all plasma proteins
· Levels fall rapidly with protein deficiency and malnutrition · Levels less than 3.2 mg/dL are associated with longer length of
stay and increased complications · There is a positive correlation between low serum albumin
and pressure ulcer severity · While a marker for nutritional status, it has a long half-life
(20 days); this precludes this measurement from being used to assess short term changes in nutritional status

2

Assess risk
Use the Braden Scale to asses risk
Scoring on the Braden Scale2
Each category is rated on a scale of one to four (excluding friction and shear, which is rated on a one-to-three scale) for a possible total of six to 23 points. The level of risk indicates the intervention strategies that should be used.
18 A score of 18 or lower indicates that risk and prevention interventions should be employed.
19 A score of 19 or higher indicates that the resident is low risk with no need for treatment. See the Braden Scale for predicting pressure sore risk for detailed descriptions of each criterion.
Sensory perception
How does the resident respond to pressure related discomfort?
11 Completely limited
Unresponsive to painful stimuli.
22 Very limited
Responds only to painful stimuli or may have a sensory impairment.
33 Slightly limited
Responds to verbal commands, but cannot always communicate.
44 No impairment
Responds to verbal commands.

Very high risk High risk Moderate risk Mild risk No risk

9 10­12 13­14 15­18 19­23

3

Assess risk (continued)
Use the Braden Scale to asses risk
Is the resident exposed to moisture?
11 Constantly moist
Skin is almost always moist from perspiration, incontinence, etc.
22 Very moist
Skin is often, but not always, moist. Linens must be changed at least once a shift.
33 Occasionally moist
Skin is occasionally moist. Linen requires an extra change approximately once a day.
44 Rarely moist
Skin is usually dry. Linen only requires changing at routine intervals.
Activity
Degree of physical activity
11 Bedfast
Confined to bed
22 Chairfast
Ability to walk severely limited or nonexistent. Cannot bear own weight and/or must be assisted into chair or wheelchair.
33 Walks occasionally
Walks during day for short distances, with or without assistance. Spends majority of each shift in bed or chair.
44 Walks frequently
Walks outside room at least twice a day and inside room at least once every two hours during waking hours.
4

Assess risk (continued)
Use the Braden Scale to asses risk
Mobility
Ability to change and control body position
11 Completely immobile
Cannot move without assistance.
22 Very limited
Makes occasional slight movements but unable to make frequent or significant changes independently.
33 Slightly limited
Makes frequent though slight changes in body or extremity position independently.
44 No limitation
Makes major and frequent changes in position without assistance.
Nutrition
Usual food intake pattern
11 Very poor
Never eats a complete meal, rarely eats more than one-third of any food offered, takes fluids poorly or is NPO (nothing by mouth) and/or maintained on clear liquids or IVs for more than five days.
22 Probably inadequate
Rarely eats a complete meal and generally eats only about one-half of any food offered, occasionally will take a dietary supplement or receives less than optimum amount of liquid diet or tube feeding.
33 Adequate
Eats more than half of most meals or is on a tube feeding or TPN regimen which might meet most nutritional needs.
44 Excellent
Eats most of every meal, occasionally eats between meals and does not require supplementation.
5

Assess risk (continued)
Use the Braden Scale to asses risk
Friction and shear
11 Problem
Requires moderate to maximum assistance in moving, frequently slides down in bed or chair. Spasticity, contractures or agitation leads to almost constant friction.
22 Potential problem
Moves feebly or requires minimum assistance, maintains relatively good position in chair or bed most of the time.
33 No apparent problem
Moves in bed and chair independently and has sufficient muscle strength to move.

Friction
Skin "bunched up"

Shear Friction

6

Epidermis is the outer layer and is water-resistant
Dermis is the inner layer and consists of living cells
Subcutaneous layer is a fatty layer, providing padding
Muscle
Bone

Assess wound3
A wound assessment form is an important component of wound treatment. A well-designed form helps you to document your wound assessment findings more frequently, improving the continuity of care. You can construct a form around the mnemonic A.S.S.E.S.S.M.E.N.T.S.
Anatomic location and age of the wound
· Document using correct anatomic terms to prevent any misunderstanding · Document how long the resident has had the wound, which will help you decide
whether to initiate acute or chronic wound healing interventions

Anatomic location and age of the wound Size, shape and stage Sinus tracts and undermining Exudate Sepsis Surrounding skin Maceration Edges and epithelialization Necrotic tissue Tissue bed Status

Size, shape and stage of the wound
· Measure the wound's size; don't estimate it or compare it with objects, such as a quarter
· Measure the greatest length, width and depth of the wound in centimeters · Use the appropriate wound classification tools:
- NPUAP staging system for pressure injuries - Payne-Martin classification system for skin tears - Wagner or University of Texas wound classification system for
neuropathic ulcers - CEAP (clinical, etiologic, anatomic and pathophysiology) system for
venous ulcers

7

Assess wound3 (continued)
Sinus tracts and undermining
A sinus tract (or tunnel) is a channel that extends under the skin from any part of the wound. It involves an area that is larger than the wound's visible surface. These are commonly found in dehisced surgical wounds as well as in neuropathic and arterial wounds.
Undermining occurs when the wound edges pull away from the wound base and tissue around the wound perimeter is destroyed. · Intervene by loosely packing the undermined area and applying an appropriate
dressing, such as a hydrogel or alginate
· Document the sinus tracts and undermining by using the analogy of a clock (with the resident's head at noon)

Exudate1,2

· Describe the amount of · Document wound

exudate as:

exudate color as:

- None

- Pale yellow

- Small

- Pink

- Moderate

- Bloody red

- Large

· Document wound exudate consistency as: - Watery
- Thick
- Purulent

Sepsis (septic wound)
This infection can be local or systemic. · Assess for signs and symptoms of infection, which include:
- Erythema - Warmth - Edema - Purulent, or increased drainage - Induration - Tenderness or pain at and around the wound · Culture the wounds by: - Tissue biopsy (gold standard) - A culture of aspirated fluid - A swab specimen to culture the wound · Avoid applying the culture swab to necrotic tissue or into pus; the goal is to identify organisms present in viable wound tissue -- not surface contaminants · Document any wound odor, which may indicate infection
8

Assess wound3 (continued)
Surrounding skin
· Look for signs of allergic reactions to tape or dressing adhesives. · Use your fingertips to gently palpate surrounding skin for evidence of
induration or fluctuance
Maceration
Maceration is a whitish, waterlogged area of softened skin surrounding a wound. This may be a sign that the dressing can't absorb the amount of wound exudate. · Protect the skin by:
- Changing the type of dressing - Applying a barrier cream on the surrounding skin - Changing the dressing more frequently
Edges and epithelialization
Epithelialization is the movement of epithelial cells across the wound surface to regenerate the epidermis. This is characterized by a pearly or silvery and shiny look to the wound. · Note that wound edges may:
- Be attached to the wound bed - Be unattached - Be rolled inward - Help identify the wound's etiology · Document the percentage of epithelialization
Necrotic tissue
Necrotic tissue is dead tissue. It inhibits wound healing and may be: · yellow · gray · brown · black Slough is stringy, yellow necrotic tissue. Eschar is dry, hard, dark black or brown necrotic tissue. · Document necrotic tissue by its percentage of the wound bed
9

Assess wound3 (continued)
Tissue bed
· Describe wound bed tissue by its color: - Pale pink - Pink - Red (a clean, granular wound bed usually is red) - Yellow - Black
· Document the percentage of: - Necrotic tissue - Epithelialization - Granulation tissue in the wound bed
· Assess the percentage of each tissue type to help document the outcome of care by tracking the improvement toward a clean, granular wound bed

Status
· Conclude documentation with the overall status of the wound and its progress · Indicate any additional interventions (referrals or supportive therapies such as
pressure-relief mattresses) · Sign your name

Assessment tools

Ankle-brachial index (ABI)4
· Is a comparison of the perfusion pressures in the lower leg with those in the upper arm
· Screens residents for evidence of significant arterial insufficiency · Can be used to identify residents requiring further workup

ABI =

Higher of two ankle pressures
Higher of two brachial pressures

Abnormally high

>1.3

Normal range

1.0-1.3

Compression is considered safe 0.8-0.95

Arterial disease

<0.8

10

References: 1. Myers, B. Wound Management: Principles and Practices. 3rd ed. Tulsa, OK: Pearson; 2014. 2. Haesler, E. Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: Clinical Practice Guideline. 2nd ed. Osborne Park, Western Australia: Cambridge Media; 2014. 3. Baranoski S, Ayello EA. Using a wound assessment form. Nursing. 2005;35(3):14-15. 4. Bryant RA, Nix DP. Acute & Chronic Wounds: Current Management Concepts. 4th ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2016.
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