J Clin Nurs. 2020;00:1–14. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jocn | 1 © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Received: 28 October 2019
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Revised: 28 February 2020
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Accepted: 13 March 2020
DOI: 10.1111/jocn.15278
REVIEW
The outcomes and experience of people receiving community-
based nurse-led wound care: A systematic review
Anusuya Dhar BN, Registered Nurse
1
| Judith Needham EdD, Senior Lecturer
1
|
Michelle Gibb PhD, Nurse Practitioner
2
| Elisabeth Coyne PhD, Senior Lecturer
1
1
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith
University, Meadowbrook, QLD, Australia
2
Wound Specialist Services Pty Ltd,
Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Correspondence
Anusuya Dhar, Student of Master of Acute
Care Nursing program, School of Nursing
and Midwifery, Logan campus, Griffith
University, Meadowbrook, QLD, Australia.
Email: anu.dhar@griffithuni.edu.au
Abstract
Aims and objectives: To review the literature related to the outcomes and experience
of people receiving nurse-led care for chronic wounds in the community.
Background: Chronic wounds lead to a poor quality of life and are an economic bur-
den to the Australian healthcare system. A lack of awareness into the significance of
chronic wounds leads to limited resources being available to facilitate the provision
of evidence-based care. The majority of chronic wounds are managed by nurses in
the community, and a better understanding into current models of care is required to
inform future practice.
Design: A systematic quantitative literature review.
Methods: A systematic search was conducted in four electronic databases, and the
inclusion criteria were as follows: English language, peer-reviewed, published from
2009–2019 and primary research. The data were compiled into an Excel database for
reporting as per the Pickering and Byrne (Higher Education Research & Development,
33, 534.) method of systematic quantitative literature review. This review used the
PRISMA checklist. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used for quality appraisal.
Results: Twelve studies were included in the review. Home nursing care, social com-
munity care and nursing within a wound clinic were identified as three types of
nurse-led care in the literature. The findings demonstrate that nurse-led care was
cost-effective, reported high levels of client satisfaction and contributed to improved
wound healing and reduced levels of pain.
Conclusions: Nurse-led care is a positive experience for people with chronic wounds
and leads to better outcomes. The findings suggested a need for further client educa-
tion and specialised training for healthcare practitioners managing chronic wounds.
RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This review demonstrates that nurse-led
care for people with chronic wounds in the community is cost-effective and improves
client outcomes. Raising awareness into the significance of chronic wounds aims to
promote the resources required to facilitate evidence-based care.
KEYWORDS
chronic wounds, community nursing, experience, outcomes, wound care