A new standard for the nursing assessment of leg ulcers.

In the UK, the majority of patients with leg ulcers are treated by nurses in the community. Nurses are central to the diagnosis and management of these patients. Formal clinical assessments are not always conducted; where they are, there is not always compliance or access to Doppler ultrasound scanners, or training in the necessary skills and techniques. Assessment should be routine and systematic; an understanding of why each observation is required will aid compliance. This article includes a review of the current requirements for assessment and sets out a minimum standard. This has been devised with the practicalities of community nursing and of nurse accountability in mind.