Complex Wound Care Support
Safe, skilled wound and pressure care support for NDIS participants with open wounds, ulcers, pressure injuries, and post-surgical wounds. Clinically supervised by registered nurses.
What is Complex Wound Care?
Complex wound care involves the management of wounds and pressure injuries that can be challenging to heal due to factors such as their size, depth, location, or underlying health conditions. It involves ongoing monitoring, specialised care and clinical guidance, including supporting individualised wound management plans, cleaning and dressing wounds, monitoring healing and changes in the wound, maintaining appropriate wound care practices, and recognising signs that may require clinical review or escalation.
People who may require this level of support include those living with:
- Complex or chronic wounds that require ongoing wound management.
- Pressure injuries or pressure ulcers associated with reduced mobility or prolonged periods of sitting or lying.
- Diabetic foot ulcers or other wounds associated with diabetes.
- Skin tears or wounds associated with fragile or vulnerable skin.
- Surgical wounds requiring ongoing prescribed wound care.
- Wounds resulting from trauma, burns or other injuries.
- Conditions that affect skin integrity, circulation, sensation, mobility or wound healing.
- Recurrent or slow-healing wounds requiring ongoing monitoring and treatment.
- Physical disabilities or functional limitations that affect a person’s ability to independently manage their wound care.
- Complex health conditions that increase the risk of skin breakdown, infection or delayed wound healing.
Pressure Injury Stages: What You Need to Know
Pressure injuries develop in stages. Understanding each stage helps you recognise early warning signs and prevent deterioration.
Stage 1: Non-Blanchable Redness
The skin is not broken but shows redness that does not fade when you press it. The area may be painful, firm or soft, and warmer or cooler than surrounding skin. Early detection at this stage is critical to prevent progression.
Stage 2: Partial Thickness Skin Loss
Partial loss of skin with exposed dermis. The wound appears as a shallow, open ulcer with a pink or red bed.
Stage 3: Full Thickness Skin Loss
Full loss of skin that may extend into subcutaneous tissue. The wound may show visible fat but not muscle, tendon or bone.
Stage 4: Full Thickness Tissue Loss
Full-thickness loss with exposed bone, muscle or tendon. This is a serious injury requiring urgent medical management.
If support staff observe any non-blanchable redness or break in the skin, they will promptly report the concern to a qualified health practitioner for appropriate clinical assessment and management. Early identification and escalation can help prevent pressure injuries from progressing to more serious stages.
Our Complex Wound Care Services
Home Care Experts provides high-intensity wound care support in accordance with the participant’s individual wound management care plan, developed by a qualified health practitioner such as a GP, nurse. Our support is provided under appropriate clinical supervision, with documentation and escalation pathways followed as outlined in the care plan. We support participants with complex wounds, pressure injuries, chronic wounds, skin tears, surgical wounds and other wounds identified in their care plan.
Our support includes:
- Supporting prescribed wound dressing changes and care in accordance with the participant’s Complex Wound Care Plan.
- Assisting with wound cleansing, dressing application and delegated wound care within the worker’s assessed competency and scope of practice.
- Supporting pressure injury prevention and management through repositioning, pressure relief and appropriate skin care.
- Monitoring wound and skin condition and reporting increased pain, swelling, redness, heat, odour, changed or increased exudate, deterioration or delayed healing.
- Supporting personal care activities affecting wound management, including showering, toileting, mobility and positioning, as outlined in the participant’s plan.
- Following prescribed infection prevention and control measures, including hand hygiene and appropriate use of personal protective equipment.
- Supporting pain-management strategies before and during wound care in accordance with the participant’s care plan and clinical instructions.
- Maintaining accurate and timely documentation of wound care, observations, participant responses and concerns or changes identified.
- Promptly escalating clinical concerns to the registered nurse, general practitioner or relevant health professional.
- Working collaboratively with participants, families, carers, advocates and relevant health professionals to support continuity and quality of care.
- Providing information and education on the prescribed wound care routine, skin protection and when to seek further clinical assistance.
All our support workers are trained by a Registered Nurse in accordance with the NDIS Practice Standards, Core Module 1: High Intensity Supports, including the relevant High Intensity Support Skills Descriptor for Complex Wound Care Support. Training is aligned with each participant’s individualised care requirements, including their wound management care plan and any specific clinical instructions. Support workers are assessed as competent before delivering care and receive ongoing support and supervision by a Registered Nurse.
Who Does What: Support Workers and Nurses
Each role has a different scope of practice. It is critical to understand what each can and cannot do to keep the person receiving care safe and promote healing.
Support Worker Responsibilities
Trained and assessed as competent to support wound care and monitoring:
- Following the participant’s complex wound Care Plan
- Performing wound-care tasks they are trained, assessed and authorised to undertake
- Maintaining hand hygiene, PPE and infection-control practices
- Assisting with hygiene and personal care around affected areas
- Respecting the participant’s dignity, privacy, choices, preferences and informed decisions
- Assisting with prescribed medications, pain management, lymphoedema machines and assistive devices where trained, competent and within their scope of practice
- Observing and reporting signs of infection, deterioration or poor healing, including redness, swelling, heat, pain, odour or delayed healing
- Assisting with repositioning, pressure relief, hygiene and daily activities as prescribed
- Accurately documenting care provided, observations and concerns
- Promptly escalating concerns or changes to the registered/enrolled nurse or relevant health professional
Registered Nurse Responsibilities
Clinical assessment, plan development, complex care and expert management:
- Completing comprehensive wound assessments, including medical and health history, to identify wound type, cause and factors affecting healing
- Developing, implementing, communicating and reviewing the wound management Care Plan in consultation with the participant, family, alternate decision-maker/advocate and relevant health professionals
- Providing referrals to other health practitioners as required
- Providing participant-specific training and clinical direction to support workers, with competency assessed before wound-care support is provided
- Reviewing wound-care records and collaborating with relevant stakeholders to manage risks, monitor progress and respond to issues or deterioration
Managing Complications
Complex wound care may involve complications such as infection, increased pain, swelling, redness, heat, odour, bleeding, delayed healing, wound deterioration or changes in the surrounding skin and tissue. Support workers are trained and equipped to recognise changes or signs of complications, follow the participant’s complex wound Care Plan and respond appropriately within their scope of practice.
Any concerns or changes in the participant’s condition are promptly escalated to the appropriate health professional, with relevant observations, actions and outcomes accurately documented in accordance with the participant’s Care Plan and organisational procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a support worker change wound dressings?
Support workers can perform simple wound dressing changes only if they have completed appropriate training and been assessed as competent by a qualified health practitioner. Complex dressing changes, debridement and advanced wound interventions must be done by a registered nurse or doctor.
What's the difference between a pressure ulcer and a regular wound?
Pressure ulcers (pressure injuries) are caused by prolonged pressure to the skin reducing blood flow. They develop in stages and require prevention (through repositioning and pressure relief) and careful monitoring. Other wounds (surgical, diabetic, ulcers) have different causes and healing requirements. The care plan will explain which type applies and how to support healing.
How often should I check the wound?
This depends on the wound care plan and the type of wound. The qualified health practitioner will specify how often to monitor and report. As a general rule, wounds should be observed daily and reported to the supervisor or GP if there are any signs of infection or change.
What should I do if I see signs of infection?
Contact your supervisor or the participant's GP immediately if you observe odour, redness, swelling, warmth, pain, or unusual discharge from the wound. Do not wait. Infections need prompt treatment to prevent serious complications.
Can support workers use lymphoedema machines?
Support workers can assist with lymphoedema machines and assistive circulatory devices (like compression garments or pneumatic devices) only if they have been trained and assessed as competent by a qualified health practitioner. The device must be clean and functioning correctly, and the person must be comfortable throughout use.
How do I know if a wound is healing?
Signs of healing include decreased pain, less redness, reduced swelling, formation of new pink tissue, wound edges coming together, and reduced discharge. The qualified health practitioner may also take measurements or photos to document healing progress. All observations should be recorded in the client file.
What if the wound is getting worse instead of better?
Report any worsening, increase in pain, redness or discharge immediately to the supervisor or GP. Wounds that are not healing may need a reassessment by a qualified health practitioner or specialist. Follow-up appointments may be needed.
Ready to Discuss Complex Wound Care Support?
Contact Home Care Experts today. Our team will work with you and healthcare providers to ensure safe, skilled wound care management and the best outcomes.
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