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Background: The quality of life for individuals with chronic wounds is diminished due to poor health-related outcomes and the financial burden of wound care. The literature has shown nurse-led wound care to have a positive impact on wound healing and psychosocial wellbeing. However, there is minimal research investigating the lived experience of attending a nurse-led clinic for chronic wounds. The purpose of this study was to explore the client and family experience of attending a nurse-led clinic for chronic wounds. Methods: Qualitative descriptive study. Semi-structured telephone interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was undertaken. Results: Twelve clients and two family members participated, and the average length of interviews was 20 min. Three main themes emerged: (1) expecting and managing pain; (2) receiving expert advice and reflecting on previous care; and (3) managing the cost of care. There was an emphasis on the impact of chronic wounds on pain and the ability to complete the activities of daily living. Expert advice, client satisfaction and physical accessibility were highlighted as benefits of the clinic. Cost and minimal client education were identified as challenges of the clinic. Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that chronic wounds have a significant impact on the client and family attending the nurse-led clinic. Comprehensive pain assessment, improved social support, better client education and cost-effective care is required to optimise the experience for people attending the nurse-led clinic. Nurse-led wound care has been shown to improve client outcomes, but there is minimal research on the lived experience of attending a nurse-led wound clinic. The findings demonstrate that clients and family members were satisfied with their experience in the nurse-led clinic, and highly regarded the expert advice they received and the physical accessibility of the location. To improve the client and family experience of the nurse-led clinic, there needs to be a greater focus on pain management, improving social support, providing client education and enabling cost-effective care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The aim of this study was to explore the client and family experience of attending a nurse-led clinic for chronic wounds in the community. Methods A qualitative descriptive study design was used to understand the participants' experience. The clinic was developed as part of a pilot project in South- East Queensland and convenience sampling was used to recruit study participants. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted and professionally transcribed verbatim. Family members completed their interview separate to the client. Content analysis was undertaken, and common themes were established. Results Twelve clients and two family members participated in the study. The average age of participants was 66 years old and most clients (n=5) attended the clinic on less than three occasions. Three common themes were found: the impact of chronic wounds on daily life, benefits of attending the clinic and challenges of attending the clinic. Participants discussed how the clinic influenced their daily life, specifically regarding pain and the inability to complete regular tasks. Benefits of the clinic included receiving expert advice, client satisfaction and physical accessibility. Challenges of the clinic were cost and minimal client education. Conclusions This research demonstrates the benefits of attending nurse-led clinics for chronic wounds however further improvements are needed to optimise this experience for consumers. Comprehensive pain assessments, better social support, improved client education and cost-effective care is required to maximise the level of care for people with chronic wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]