01299nas a2200157   4500000000100000008004100001653002000042653000900062653002000071653001500091100001200106245006400118300001000182490000700192520094200199       2017                            d10aWound treatment10aNTDs10aCommunity nurse10aAssessment1 aMilne J00aAccurate chronic wound assessment in the community setting.  a25-280 v313 a<p>The community nurse may come across a range of wounds in the community setting, particularly with the rise in comorbidities such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease due to unhealthy lifestyles and an ageing population. Accurate assessment is the key to identifying the most appropriate wound treatment programme; one that will promote healing and/or relieve symptoms associated with chronic wound healing. Product choice is secondary to getting the assessment process right and accurate assessment and methodical documentation not only help protect against legal challenges, but also aim to reduce waste, dressing change frequency (and thereby nurse time), and patient discomfort. The community nurse should always seek to match their wound-healing knowledge with what they see in the wound bed and the patient's history, which in turn will enable the nurse to make informed therapy choices and provide expert patient advice.</p>