The Use of Collagen Dressings in Long-Term Care: A Retrospective Case Series

The presence of a chronic ulcer presents a challenge to clinicians in long-term care while being both a physical and psychological burden to the residents and their families. Dressings play an important adjunctive role in concert with overall efforts to manage the underlying causes of chronic, non-healing wounds. With more than 2000 dressings and a variety of treatment protocols available, chronic wound management is as much an art as it is science. Each wound requires a unique combination of dressings that is matched to the needs of the patient and the clinical presentation of the wound. Treatment often depends on the skill level of the clinician and the ability to develop appropriate interventions and plan of care. This retrospective series of four case studies serves to demonstrate the improved potential for healing outcomes when collagen dressings are used appropriately.