Debridement of vancomycin resistant Stage IV Pressure Ulcer

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In my clinical last week I was invited to witness a debridement of a stage IV sacral pressure ulcer and was SHOCKED that a LPN was preforming the procedure and requested the help of 2 students. Apparently the nurse also asked the students if they wanted to try to preform the procedure as well. (Our clinical instructor said no-way) Being that everything I have read in text books and have been lectured on has said that RNs and LPNs should not be preforming a debridement, I have to say I was a bit shocked. Is this common practice out there in the "real world"? The whole experience seemed a bit odd to me. The pt is debrided with water pressure device daily, which also seemed to not be right.

So I ask you fine wound care nurses, what is the protocol four debridment in your agency? Should RNs and/or LPNs being doing this procedure?

Thanks for any insight you might offer! ;)

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Specializes in Medical Telemetry, LTC,AlF, Skilled care.

I'm just an LPN student but in our clinicals last semester we watched an LPN and RN perform a debridement procedure on a patient, maybe it just depends on the type of debridement?

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I wonder if the LPN is Wound Care Certified.....if so, maybe she has been trained to do that?????

Suebird :)

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should not have had students invited to jump in *** post grad training required for patient comfort and for staff safety

did you discuss this with instructor??

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