Outpatient wound care centers are often challenged with patients whose wounds have multiple etiologies. These patients require a plan of care that addresses all underlying factors as well as wound management to debride devitalized tissue and promote healing. Clinicians practicing in outpatient wound care clinics must appreciate the unique challenges for wound management required by the home health care setting. The current economic environment requires a home care agency to optimize nursing visits to achieve financial as well as clinical outcomes. This requires dressing materials that facilitate healing, allow for long wear and are easy for clinicians or caregivers to use. While hydrocolloid dressings are widely used for management of partial thickness ulcers, some formulations and designs have drawbacks that limit their usefulness for home care patients. Limited ability to manage wound drainage can result in loss of dressing integrity or �dressing breakdown� in the wound. Dressing profile and design of dressing edge often contributes to dressing failure. The edges of a dressing can catch on linens or clothing causing them to curl and roll off the wound site. This can also be a source of superficial injury to the surrounding skin.

Reprinted with Permission from 3M