A Mobile Application for Wound Assessment and Treatment: Findings of a User Trial. (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jun, Young Joon; Shin, Donghyeok; Choi, Whan Jun; Hwang, Ji Hyeon; Kim, Hoon; Kim, Tae Gon; Lee, Hyo Bo; Oh, Tae Suk; Shin, Hyun Woo; Suh, Hyun Suk; Lee, A-Young; Hong, Joon Pio (Jp)
• Is Part Of: International journal of lower extremity wounds. Volume 15:Number 4(2016:Dec.)
• Page Start: 344
• Page End: 353
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: mobile app -- wound assessment -- wound assessment algorithm -- smartphone; Leg -- Wounds and injuries -- Periodicals; Wounds and injuries -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Leg -- Ulcers -- Periodicals; Wound healing -- Periodicals; 617.584
• DOI: 10.1177/1534734616678522
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1534-7346

Abstract

The D+Wound Solution is a mobile phone application (app) that assists users in the assessment and treatment of the wound. The app has 6 components for assessment: need for debridement, infection control, revascularization, and exudate control; whether it is chronic; and finally, the top surface of the skin. These components are named D.I.R.E.C.T. The app makes you review these components as an algorithm to provide a reasonable solution for dressing. It is designed to understand the status of the wound and provide a practical treatment idea for wound care providers. A total of 118 nurses were divided into 2 groups, designated as experienced and less-experienced groups, and surveyed. Both groups found the app to be helpful in making a treatment plan. However, the less-experienced group found it to be significantly more useful in assessing the wound ( P = .026) but difficult to understand the logic. The experienced group found the logic to be significantly easier to understand ( P = .018) and had significantly higher similarities ( P = .015) in treatment protocols compared with the less-experienced group. We may conclude that this app has a logical algorithm resembling experienced wound caregivers and is more useful in the less-experienced group.