PHYSIOLOGY OF DELAYED HEALING IN DIABETIC PATIENTS

Course overview

DIABETICS ARE AT INCREASED RISK FOR A NUMBER OF SERIOUS AND DISABLING COMPLICATIONS. AMONG THESE IS DELAYED WOUND HEALING. IN RECENT YEARS, RESEARCHERS HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS IN UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEX PROCESSES THAT FACILITATE AND CONTROL NORMAL WOUND HEALING AS WELL AS THE MEDIATORS THAT IMPAIR PROPER HEALING IN DIABETIC WOUNDS. NURSES MUST BE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF HIGH GLUCOSE LEVELS ON NORMAL WOUND HEALING IN ORDER TO APPROPRIATELY COUNSEL PATIENTS, PLAN FOR FUTURE INTERVENTIONS, AND FACILITATE THE HEALING OF DIABETIC WOUNDS. THIS COURSE WILL DISCUSS THE ETIOLOGY OF DIABETIC WOUNDS AND COMPARE DIABETIC WOUND HEALING TO NORMAL WOUND HEALING TO EXPLAIN WHY HEALING IS DELAYED BY DIABETES. THE NURSE’S ROLE IN DIABETIC WOUND CARE WILL ALSO BE DETAILED.