How did you REALLY become proficient in this specialty?

[pn5437]

Hello I'm going to try this again :)... I recently posted a thread about accepting a wound care nurse position at a SNF. I have what I call a small amount of experience (wound care on the weekends and of course wound care while working the floor). I don't think I do so great but I tend to get a lot of positive feedback from other nurses so I'm going to do everything I can to learn as much as possible.

I went ahead and found Acute and Chronic Wounds : Current Management and Concepts 3rd edition for 6 bucks online (oh yeah!) and have been studying it practically non-stop. (I don't have the money to get certified yet-for those of you who are, I think you're amazing). Anyway, aside from that I've found some interactive online wound education sources as well.

What i would like to know, is when you started (we were all there one day lol) what helped you the most as far as learning what worked best for what sort of wound, rounding with the wound care physician,etc. I know that books can only take me so far, and hands on experience is what will teach me the most. But I want to be as well prepared as possible. I've also been looking at you tube videos, etc.

Thanks!

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

Keep using your critical thinking skills. If you take down a dressing and find that its looking gross and manky its more than possible the type of dressing being used needs to be changed. I saw it alot district nursing people just kept using the same dressing as the nurse before them.