Page 257 - Psychology of Wounds and Wound Care in Clinical Practice ( PDFDrive )

232 Chapter 9. Conclusion

it be the encouragement of family and friend interaction or
through attendance at specific social clubs.
For example, attendance at a Leg Club appears to be benefi-
cial for patients and it gives them the opportunity to share their
experiences with others who also have ulcers. The importance
of patient stories and ensuring that patients are heard has been
highlighted by Hawkins and Lindsay ( 2006 ). The authors pre-
sented a number of patient stories, which tell us how Leg Clubs
have empowered patients through educating them about their
ulcers and treatment, and making them aware that other peo-
ple have them too. The patients reported feeling more confi-
dent through seeing others make progress and therefore
feeling that they could too. These patient stories demonstrate
the importance of patient education about their condition and
enabling patients to take control and have input into their
treatment. The authors also emphasise how patients need to be
able to talk about their experiences, and that these need to be
learned from and treated as evidence in their own right. In this
way, the emotional disclosure suggested by the Weinman et al.
( 2008 ) study can occur and, hopefully, healing encouraged.

However, Chap. 8 also explored the negative consequences
of living with a wound for the family and, particularly the
spouse, of the patient. Carers are a considerable resource to
the health economy and to the individual with the wound. It
is imperative that the health care professional recognises this
value and harnesses it to best effect. This can involve either
support for the family, including emotional and practical cop-
ing skills, and also education and wound management skills.
As such the individual can become an ally in the support of
the patient with the wound and thereby improve not only the
psychological well-being but also the clinical outcomes.

Conclusion

The painful downward spiral of a wound, negative social con-
sequences, poor well-being and subsequent delayed healing
has at its root psychological factors. Similarly, psychological
factors can be supportive, protective and enhance wound
healing. The centrality of all these factors cannot be underes-