OMNI homes healing wounds deemed untreatable
‘Thinking outside the box’ can garner positive results
Thursday February 25, 2010 -- Deron Hamel
Nursing staff at OMNI Health Care long-term care homes are healing skin wounds deemed untreatable by utilizing innovative skin-care measures, say home representatives.

Sometimes the key to healing a serious wound requires “thinking outside the box,” says Debra Hannan, a registered practical nurse (RPN) at Woodland Villa in Long Sault.

For instance, Hannan points to the home’s nursing staff using Nitro-Dur patches to heal a serious wound on one resident.

Prior to admission, the resident had a Stage 4 wound measuring 17.9 centimetres. But after weeks of using Nitro-Dur patches the wound is now measuring 5.9 centimetres.

Nitro-Dur patches are adhesive patches containing nitroglycerin. The patches are most often used to augment blood flow in people who have angina.

Given that enhanced blood flow is critical to healing wounds, the nursing team at Woodland Villa decided to see if the patch would be an effective tool for healing wounds.

“I asked the doctor if we could try a Nitro-Dur patch on this person’s foot, because they were looking at possible amputation,” explains Hannan, adding she had seen this work in the past.

“The doctor agreed that we could try it and it has improved the circulation to the point that we’re seeing healing and it’s looking very good.”

At Village Green, a home located in Greater Napanee, director of care Jackie Maxwell recalls how one resident, who had serious lesions on both heels upon moving into the home two years ago, has made a full recovery after doctors deemed the wounds untreatable.

Maxwell attributes this success largely to OMNI’s partnership with medical supplier Smith & Nephew. Many Smith & Nephew products, such as heel protectors, were used to improve the resident’s wounds. IntraSite gel, a hydrogel wound dressing, and a special bed mattress were also used to help heal the resident’s wounds.

While this is one recent success, there have been other examples at the home where people have had wounds heal after moving into the home.

“There have been other times where the hospitals have sent people to us and said, ‘Oh, you’re never going to heal this wound,’” Maxwell says. “We have had increasing success since (partnering with) Smith & Nephew and using their consultants . . . and training.”

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