Far West Local Health District (FWLHD) are reminding the Broken Hill community that the right diagnosis, and the right treatment at the right time can mean many wounds can be healed.
That’s the key message from the FWLHD as they highlight Wound Awareness Week from September 4 to September 10 under the theme, Let’s Get Wound Care Right!
FWLHD Clinical Nurse Consultant Wound Management, Megan Jordan, says seeking professional advice early on, can often stop an acute wound from becoming chronic.
“Understanding the chronic wound warning signs will help people know when to seek professional wound advice and with the right wound diagnosis, many wounds can be healed with timely treatment,” Ms Jordan said.
The early warning signs of a chronic wound can be:
- pain and heat at the wound
- odour from the wound
- excess fluid from the wound
- slow healing wounds
FWLHD have several wound care settings, ranging from Community Nursing, Outpatient Wound Clinics, Clinical Nurse Consultant Chronic and Complex Wound and Stoma Clinic.
The Clinical Nurse Consultant Chronic and Complex Wound and Stoma Clinic also offer Telehealth reviews in consultation with our remote district sites.
Ms Jordan said more than 450,000 Australians live with a chronic wound and the cost of managing this is more than $3 billion annually.
“We hope Wound Awareness Week can help raise awareness in the community of the impact of wounds and the services and treatments available to help,” Ms Jordan said.
Wound Awareness Week is Wounds Australia’s most significant annual campaign to improve awareness of chronic wounds and influence wound management policy.
Getting wound care right at every step – diagnosis, treatment, and timing – requires professionals caring for people living with, or at risk of, a wound to have specialised training and expertise.
To support this, FWLHD staff will be taking part in Wound Awareness activities during the week, including local and online education sessions.
These sessions will provide clinicians with practical skills and knowledge to deliver wound care to our community. They cover various topics including; Wound Care and the Multidisciplinary Team, Caring for Wounds in Ageing Australians, Wound Lifestyle Factors, Getting Wound Care Right, and Wound Assessment and Management Planning.
Staff will also be perfecting their baking skills to partake in the ‘Wounds Awareness Week Big Oozie Bake Off!’
To bring local community awareness to prevention and management of chronic wounds, the Broken Hill Health Service will also have a display for Wound Awareness Week in the Broken Hill Base Hospital foyer at 176 Thomas St where the community and staff will be able to talk with Ms Jordan about the region’s wound care settings that may best suit the individual’s needs.
This will include information brochures for consumers on preventing chronic wounds, pressure injury prevention and management, and the signs and symptoms of a chronic wound or wound deterioration.
For more information about Wounds Awareness Week and information on wounds call Ms Jordan on 08 8080 2236 or visit the woundsaustralia.org/ocd.aspx
