Update - HCAs need supervision with wound care

VOL: 102, ISSUE: 16, PAGE NO: 36

Wound care organisations in the UK are working to produce a position statement about the role of HCAs in wound management.

Wound care organisations in the UK are working to produce a position statement about the role of HCAs in wound management.

Two years ago, the Leg Ulcer Forum recommended that HCAs should not be involved in applying compression bandages.

Pauline Beldon, chair of the Tissue Viability Nursing Association, commented that 'HCA training is limited and does not equip them with in-depth clinical knowledge, nor does it enable them to assess patients. For these reasons it is vital that HCAs are supervised by a registered nurse'.

However, Judy Harker, nurse consultant, tissue viability, Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, believes that challenges such as nursing shortages provide an opportunity for tissue viability services to be proactive. 'With the right competencies, education and training, and appropriate supervision, HCAs could make a significant contribution to certain elements of wound care,' she added.