Unfortunately, the lack of specialization in wound care often leads to inconsistent treatment approaches and, consequently, poorer patient outcomes^3,4. To counter these challenges, the Joint Commission recommends the establishment of structured competency programs^5,6. Yet, the implementation of such programs is often hindered by substantial constraints on time and resources.

Method

We adopted a Design Thinking methodology⁷, centered on the needs of the clinicians and the institutions. This process led to the creation of a dynamic module within our clinical and reimbursement decision support web application, specifically designed for wound care and hyperbaric clinicians. Here’s how we approached the development:

1. Comprehensive Needs Analysis: Through interviews and surveys with managers and clinicians, we identified essential competency areas tailored to different roles within wound care. This initial step ensured that the module we developed was grounded in real-world needs and challenges.
2. Effective Development: Using robust programming languages, libraries, and frameworks, our development team built a module that is not only powerful but also secure and user-friendly.
3. Workflow Optimization: By prioritizing key use cases, we designed intuitive workflows that clinicians could navigate easily, thereby enhancing user adoption and satisfaction.
4. Template Design: We crafted a series of evidence-based competency templates within the module. These templates serve as a blueprint for training and evaluating clinicians, ensuring that all team members meet the highest standards of care delivery.
5. Iterative Feedback Integration: The development process was iterative, incorporating ongoing feedback from end-users to refine functionality and usability continually.

Results

The final product is a cloud-based, mobile-responsive solution that effectively supports the development and management of wound care competencies. Quick to implement and offering tailored options for different types of programs and care settings, our module includes:

• Customizable Onboarding: Tailored training modules assess and enhance the competence of clinical staff, aligning with specific job responsibilities and ensuring high standards from the start.

• Continuous Competency Management: Our system strengthens, tracks, and documents the knowledge, skills, and abilities of clinicians in wound care. It provides mechanisms for preceptor oversight, crucial for maintaining quality in clinical settings.

• Structured Internship Programs: The module supports documentation and framework requirements necessary for program accreditation, such as those mandated by the Joint Commission, ensuring that all training meets rigorous standards.   

• Innovative Training Solutions: We facilitate remote learning through assignments on specific modules like debridement and compression, complemented by teleassistance from experienced preceptors.

Conclusions

Our innovative solution effectively accelerates the development, management, and documentation of wound care competencies across healthcare settings. Institutions report several benefits, including standardized care procedures, increased operational efficiency during employee onboarding and orientation, and enhanced ability to track and report on competencies for professional development, licensure, certification, and facility accreditation.

Additionally, research has shown that organizations with competency programs experience:

• 40% lower staff turnover,
• 87% greater success in hiring the best candidates.

These improvements help institutions address staffing shortages, which are a top concern for patient safety⁸.

As we move forward, our commitment remains steadfast: to support healthcare professionals in delivering the highest quality care to an aging population.

Resources

• Quality of Care Requires Ongoing Competency Evaluations
• WoundReference Competency Tool
  
  

References

1. Sen, C. K. Human wound and its burden: updated 2020 compendium of estimates. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle) 10, 281–292 (2021).
2. U.S. Census Bureau. Older People Projected to Outnumber Children. U.S. Census Bureau https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2018/cb18-41-population-projections.html (2018).
3. Williams, E. M. & Deering, S. Achieving competency in wound care: an innovative training module using the long-term care setting. Int. Wound J. 13, 829–832 (2016).
4. Corriveau, G., et al. Developing competencies of nurses in wound care: the impact of a new service delivery model including teleassistance. J. Contin. Educ. Nurs. 51, 547–555 (2020).
5. Mize, J. & Hamm, T. Quality of Care Requires Ongoing Competency Evaluations. Woundreference.com https://woundreference.com/blog?id=competency-assessments (2021).
6. The Joint Commission. About Our Standards | The Joint Commission. https://www.jointcommission.org/standards/about-our-standards/ (2021).
7. Ferreira, F. K. et al. New mindset in scientific method in the health field: Design Thinking. Clinics 70, 770–772 (2015)
8. ECRI Reports Staffing Shortages and Clinician Mental Health are Top Threats to Patient Safety [Internet]. ECRI. 2022. Available from: https://www.ecri.org/press/ecri-reports-staffing-shortages-and-clinician-mental-health-are-top-threats