QOL of patients with infected wounds : negative pressure wound therapy vs conventional therapy

Abstract

Background: The nursing treatment of wounds is not only the direct wound care but the safeguarding and promotion of health-related self-management and well-being (Deufert & Graml, 2017). Therefore, it is important to assess the patient's QOL to take appropriate measures. For this reason, this dissertation aims to investigate the impact on the QOL of patients undergoing NPWT compared to SWC. Research Question: Does the QOL of patients with infected wounds improve with NPWT as opposed to standard wound care? PICO elements: The population studied (P) were patients with infected wounds. The observed intervention (I) was NPWT compared (C) to SWC, while the desired outcome (O) was improved QOL. Method and Results: Relevant studies were identified through a systematic literature search of various electronic databases. The eligibility of the selected articles was assessed using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eligibility criteria included studies published in the last ten years, written in English and relating to the PICO elements. Five studies were selected, two systematic reviews and three RCTs. The studies were critically appraised using the CASP tool. Due to various limitations in the studies, no consistent result could be obtained, which meant that the research question could not be answered accurately. However, the results suggest that there is no significant difference in patients' QOL between NPWT and conventional treatment. Implications and Recommendations: Further research is needed locally and internationally to determine the impact of NPWT on QOL. Recommendations include the use of larger samples and homogeneous wound sites. Staff should be trained to raise awareness of the impact of NPWT on QOL.