Achieving competency in wound care: an innovative training module using the long-term care setting.

Structured academic teaching on wound care was developed, based on the long-term care (LTC) setting, with the goal of ensuring that postgraduate family medicine residents attain competency in assessment and treatment of wounds and pressure ulcers (PUs). The curriculum for the 1-month learning module was based on clinical practice guidelines for the prevention, assessment, and treatment of PUs and wounds. The learning techniques used include a learners' needs assessment, a small-group didactic session, interdisciplinary bedside case discussions and a toolkit. The curriculum is delivered in four weekly, 90-minute interdisciplinary teaching sessions during the mandatory 1-month geriatrics rotation for postgraduate family medicine trainees. Competency is evaluated by the end of the module by reviewing trainees' documentation of a thorough objective clinical wound assessment, diagnosis of underlying cause, significant contributing risk factors and proposed treatment plan. This approach can be used to train family medicine, hospitalist, and geriatric residents in other acute or LTC teaching facilities where there is a prevalence of PUs.