Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.24141/1/6/1/14
Nursing Care for Patients Using VAC Therapy
Klaudia Knezić
orcid.org/0000-0002-8229-3163
; Klinički bolnički centar Zagreb, Klinika za kirurgiju, Zavod za plastičnu, rekonstruktivnu i kirurgiju dojke, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Jasmina Kruško
orcid.org/0000-0002-9169-6503
; Klinika za dječje bolesti Zagreb, Referentni centar za pedijatrijsku gastroenterologiju, hepatologiju i poremećaje hrane, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sanela Takus
; Lungenklinik Köln-Merheim, Odjel za pneumologiju/ onkologiju i torakalnu kirurgiju, Njemačka
Mateja Krznar
; DEBRA, društvo oboljelih od bulozne epidermolize, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Negative Pressure Therapy – Vacuum Assisted Closure – is a wound treatment method used in clinical practice throughout the world. Its beginnings date back to the year 1995. The VAC system is particularly effective in treatment of traumatic and chronic wounds.
The success of VAC therapy treatment depends on several factors, the most important of which are a good surgical technique, proper assessment of the patient’s condition, and planning and conducting procedure, which are positively evaluated at the end of the treatment. Nurse’s interventions are focused on assessment of the patient’s psychophysical condition, skin condition assessment before and after the treatment, assessment of the skin surrounding the wound, proper body position during the procedure, assessment and adjustment of microclimate conditions, as well as bleeding risk estimate. Education of the patient must be accentuated as the most important intervention.
The objective of this article is to describe the procedure of chronic wound treatment using VAC system and to explain the tasks of nurses in the course of VAC therapy. Nurses need to possess specific knowledge for the purpose of conducting the procedure, they need to be educated in providing the patient’s health care, and they need to provide support both to the patient and their family.
VAC method is a safe and successful treatment method and since it is economically affordable both for the healthcare system and the patients, it is increasingly frequently selected for the treatment of patients with chronic wounds.
Keywords
VAC therapy; chronic wounds; healthcare
Hrčak ID:
235114
URI
Publication date:
4.3.2020.
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