Chapter 2e. Additional Education Requirements: Licensed Practical Nurses - Care of Wounds with a Non-Visible Wound Bed

This course is designed to meet the additional education requirements for Licenced Practical Nurses (LPN’s) to safely probe, cleanse, irrigate, pack and dress wounds with a non-visible wound bed (undermining and sinuses/tunnels).

This course includes:

1. Theory which builds on entry-level competency of LPN’s using evidence informed resources.
2. Application to practice with hands on practice and mentorship.
3. An objective, external evaluation of competencies using mentorship and quiz questions.

Ensure that you have access and support from a nursing mentor prior to enrolling for this course. (For this course a nursing mentor is defined as; A clinical educator, Nurse Specialized in Wound, Ostomy & Continence (NSWOC), wound clinician or delegated Registered Nurse competent in the skill being demonstrated.)

For further information on practices requiring additional education please follow this link to: British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP) LPN Scope of Practice.

After completing this course you will be able to:

1. Describe the:

• Purposes and methods for cleansing wounds with visible and non-visible wound beds.
• Purposes for packing wounds with undermining and sinuses /tunnels.

2. Demonstrate the:

• Assessment of wounds with non-visible wound beds.
• Cleansing procedure for wounds with undermining and sinus/tunnel and an unknown endpoint.
• Cleansing procedure for wounds with undermining and sinus/tunnel and a known endpoint.
• Packing procedure for wounds with a non-visible wound bed.
• Appropriate documentation of the care of wounds with a non-visible wound bed.