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Health Quality Ontario released the following three wound care-related quality standards for all health care settings (including primary care, home and community care, long-term care, and acute care):

• Pressure Injuries
• Diabetic Foot Ulcers
• Venous Leg Ulcers

Each of the above quality standards includes a set of quality statements addressing areas that were identified as having high potential for improving the quality of care in Ontario for people who have developed, or are at risk of developing, a pressure injury, diabetic foot ulcer, or venous leg ulcer.

Although they are separate quality standards, many of the quality statements and their associated implementation tools overlap. To support the delivery of care outlined in the wound care quality statements into your practice, we have grouped together a sample of the tools and resources that are common across the three quality standards. Some of the information included in the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario Best Practice Guidelines support implementation of several quality statements. The links to each one of these best practice guidelines are included in the posts below.

Below are tools for implementation for specific wound care quality standards:

• Pressure Injuries Quality Standard: Tools for Implementation
• Venous Leg Ulcers Quality Standard: Tools for Implementation
• Diabetic Foot Ulcer Quality Standard: Tools for Implementation

Common Wound Care Tools and Resources

Comprehensive Assessment

• Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH)—a fast and accurate tool developed by the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel used to measure the status of pressure wounds over time

Wound Debridement

• Conservative Sharp Wound Debridement (CSWD) in Adults and Children—evidence-informed practice tools compiled by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
• Evidence-Based Recommendations For Conservative Sharp Wound Debridement—evidence-based recommendations developed by The Canadian Association of Enterostomal Therapy

Wound Infections and Wound Moisture

• Eating Well for Wound Healing—nutrition recommendations from Alberta Health Services for optimal wound healing
• Guideline: Assessment, Prevention and Treatment of Wound Infection—a guideline by the British Columbia Provincial Nursing Skin and Wound Committee that provides health care providers with information about assessment and types of interventions available for wound infections
• Guideline: The Assessment and Management of Bacterial Burden in Acute and Chronic Wounds—a guideline by a collaboration of wound care specialists and health agencies in Ontario that provides detailed guidance on infection management
• Guideline: The Assessment and Management of Moisture in Acute and Chronic Wounds—a guideline by a collaboration of wound care specialists and health agencies in Ontario that provides guidance on the assessment and management of exudate
• Moisture Summary—a summary from the South West Regional Wound Care Program outlining the importance of moisture in wound care
• Special Considerations in Wound Bed Preparation 2011: An Update—an article published by Wound Care Canada that provides a framework for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of wounds
• Subjective Global Assessment Form—a tool from the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force for diagnosing malnutrition and identifying individuals who would benefit from nutrition care
• Topical Antimicrobials for Selective Use in Wound Care—a chart that classifies the intended use of topical antimicrobials

Health Care Provider Training and Education

• Project ECHO Ontario Skin and Wound—free, case-based learning that provides health care providers with guidance from peers about complex skin and wound care needs
• OTN Virtual Solutions for Wound Care—virtual solutions through the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN) for patients and providers to support wound care best practices, resource use, and communication

Transitions in Care

• Patient Oriented Discharge Summary (PODS)—a hospital discharge process and package codesigned by patients and staff to improve follow-up care
• Transitions in Care Quality Standard—a standard set of recommendations and guidelines created by Health Quality Ontario (now the Quality business unit of Ontario Health) that addresses care for people of all ages transitioning from hospital to home

Comprehensive Tools and Resources for the Wound Care Quality Standards

The following resources may be useful for more than one topic in these wound care quality standards:

• South West Regional Wound Care Program—information about the program and access to resources and initiatives
• Waterloo Wellington Integrated Wound Care Program—information about the program and access to resources and initiatives

Other Resources

• Health Equity Impact Assessment—a decision support tool that can help your organization consider how programs and policies impact population groups differently (to help minimize health inequities)
• Quality Standards—directory of all quality standards from Health Quality Ontario (now the Quality business unit of Ontario Health)

Comment below to describe your experience with these tools or share any others you have found useful!