Types of Wounds and Their Complications Wounds can be classified according to various factors such as their characteristics, healing process and so on. A wound can be simple or life threatening depending upon the cause, site and depth. Though most wounds are found externally, limited to the outer skin layers, there are deeper wounds that reach underlying tissues and organs. You should not only identify the type of wound, but also thoroughly understand such complications with the wound to choose the right treatment that expedites healing. This can be achieved with comprehensive and efficient documentation through wound EMR. Before explori g this, let’s take a detailed look at the types of wounds and their complications.
Acute and Chronic Wounds If we consider the healing time of a wound, it can be divided into two types – acute and chronic. Acute wounds would heal within the predicted amount of time without any complications. However, chronic wounds require a longer time to heal and there may be complications.
Open and Closed Wounds Wounds having exposed underlying tissues and/or organs (open to the outside environment as in the case of a penetration) are known as open wounds. If the wounds are just skin damages without exposing the underlying tissue and organs, such wounds are called closed wounds.
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Clean and Contaminated Wounds If there are no foreign materials or debris inside the wounds, then such wounds are called clean wounds. Contaminated wounds are those that might have dirt, fragments of the causative agents, bacteria or other kinds of foreign materials within.
Internal and External Wounds Wounds can be internal or external depending on their origin or cause. Internal wounds occur as a result of an impairment in immune and nervous system functions and/or a decrease in blood supply, oxygen or nutrients to the related areas (these happen in the case of chronic illness including diabetes, atherosclerosis and so on). There are several causes for external wounds such as:
Non-penetrating – This type of external wounds occur due to the blunt trauma or friction with other surfaces. Such wounds do not break through the skin, but include abrasions, lacerations, contusions and concussions.
Penetrating – Penetrating wounds occur when the trauma breaks through the full thickness of skin while reaching down to the underlying tissue and organs. This type includes stab wounds, skin cuts, surgical wounds and gunshot wounds.
Miscellaneous – This includes thermal wounds (injuries results from extreme temperature, either hot or cold), chemical wounds (skin or lung damage due to the contact with chemicals), bites and stings and electrical wounds.
Common Wound Complications
Infections – You can identify infections with pus drainage, foul odor, dull throbbing pain, fever, mild swelling and heat at the wound site. Such wounds require immediate treatment.
Inflammation – Wounds that are hot, painful, swollen, red and difficult to move come under inflamed wounds.
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Scarring – Though regenerated cells have fibrous tissue that helps in healing, they have different characteristics and may leave a scar on the skin.
Loss of Function – When a major organ, blood vessel or nerve gets damaged, the affected limb or area will lose its functionality until you repair all lost or damaged tissues, regardless of whether the wound is still fresh or healing.
Wound EMR for Effective Treatment The basic steps in wound treatment (wound cleansing, wound dressing and application of antibiotics where required) will help prevent infection and protect the wounds from the environment. However, depending on the wound types and complications, a more effective treatment is required to improve healing and resolve associated issues. For that, wound care nurses should document all the signs and symptoms of wounds, healing stages and other details during an encounter. Though everyone has the risk for sustaining or developing wounds, there is a higher risk for children, elderly people, alcoholics, people addicted to drugs or people with mental illness or disability. People living or working in a hazardous environment or having chronic illnesses and/or weakened immune systems are also at a higher risk for developing wounds. In this way, a patie t’s history report is very i porta t when treating wounds. You should not only prepare accurate and comprehensive wound documentation, but the required wound care data must be transferred among wound care nurses, physicians and specialists in a quick and efficient manner. With wound specific templates, wound EMR allows nurses to add photographs and wound details easily without searching through different templates. As there is less effort required to access data from wound EMR, wound care physicians can easily track wound type, complications, measurements, and other required details as well as the effectiveness of the wound care team. Wound EMR equipped with an interface to connect physician and nurse module allows seamless communication and ensures the highest level of care. This will enhance the communication with referring physician as well and facilitate healing.
www.woundemr.com
855-968-6394