By Nancy Collins, PhD, RDN, LD, NWCC, FAND Personal smartphone use at work is a complicated issue with legal implications. The plaintiff attorney drummed his fingers on the table while he stared at nurse Stephanie Holland* for what seemed like an eternity. He was waiting for her to respond to a seemingly simple question during her deposition—“Do you ever use ...

By Nancy Collins, PhD, RDN, LD, NWCC, FAND Smoking is known to hinder wound healing, yet most wound care practitioners fail to document any smoking cessation discussion or education. The daughter of Mrs. Bradley* was barely able to contain herself while giving her deposition. She was sobbing from a place deep in her heart as she retold the story of ...

By Nancy Collins, PhD, RDN, LD, NWCC, FAND These days, most people have a camera in their pocket, giving family members the ability to take their own wound photographs. When we talk about wound photography, we usually are referring to health care professionals (HCPs) taking periodic photographs to document the healing process as part of a patient’s permanent medical record. ...

Review by Nancy Collins, PhD, RDN, LD, NWCC, FAND My promise: I only recommend products I have tried personally and would use for myself or my family members. All medicine is evidence-based. All corporate relationships are fully disclosed. People with wounds need extra calories, which means eating well every day. Patients often tell me they do not eat much because ...

Review by Nancy Collins, PhD, RDN, LD, NWCC, FAND My promise: I only recommend products I have tried personally and would use for myself or my family members. All medicine is evidence-based. All corporate relationships are fully disclosed. Juven is a strategic mix of amino acids and micronutrients needed to promote wound healing. My father was the first patient I ...

Review by Nancy Collins, PhD, RDN, LD, NWCC, FAND My promise: I only recommend products I have tried personally and would use for myself or my family members. All medicine is evidence-based. All corporate relationships are fully disclosed. Those who know me well know I am a night owl. I fully admit it—my struggle with the morning is real. So, ...

Wound Glossary It is important to be able to speak the same language as your wound care providers. This glossary will help you understand the basic terminology. Air-Flotation Bed: Generic descriptor for low-air-loss beds and air-fluidized beds.   Air-Fluidized Bed: Class of support surfaces that uses a high rate of air flow to fluidize fine particulate material (such as sand) ...

Dr. Collins Answers Your Questions Why Do People Get Pressure Injuries? What Treatments Are Used? By Nancy Collins, PhD, RDN, LD, NWCC, FAND Note: In the past, pressure injuries were sometimes called pressure ulcers, bed sores, or decubitus ulcers. What is a pressure injury? It is damaged skin, often seen as an open area on the skin but not always. ...

By Nancy Collins, PhD, RDN, LD, NWCC, FAND Patients with wounds require increased amounts of dietary protein, typically meaning meats, poultry, dairy products, and eggs. Vegetarians will need alternate sources of protein and amino acids to meet their needs and heal their wounds. If you have ever heard me talk about nutrition interventions for wound healing, you surely heard me ...

By Nancy Collins, PhD, RDN, LD, NWCC, FAND Chronic wounds impact 15% of Medicare beneficiaries at an estimated annual cost of $28 billion to $32 billion, making nutrition a seemingly cost-effective purchase. Did you ever wonder how much it really costs to treat and heal various wounds? Patients, family members, and healthcare team members often complain to me that $5/day ...