Understanding the elements of a holistic wound assessment

Wounds have become a significant public health challenge and consume a large amount of healthcare resources. Wounds can have severe negative effects on patients' quality of life, causing psychological and social distress, and may lead to significant periods of lost employment, resulting in financial loss. For nurses to manage wounds effectively, they need to be competent in undertaking holistic wound assessments. This article supports nurses' understanding by providing information on various types of wounds and their differing aetiologies. It also outlines the elements of a wound assessment and discusses some of the challenges that may be encountered during this process. [Abstract copyright: © 2020 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.]