The Master’s Degree in Management of Skin Lesions and Difficult Wounds (wound care) trains nurses to understand the correct therapeutic pathway for patients suffering from skin ulcers.
The objectives of the Master’s Degree are:
• to use the same shared and standardised technical-scientific language, both among UOC operators and with external multi-professional figures;
• to raise awareness of technical innovations, new materials and devices for advanced dressings and the principles of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine;
• to promote shared responsibility for patient care and encourage interaction between nurses in social and health districts.
By developing a network of diverse professionals, “People who care for People”, patient care can be fully expressed, with positive effects on effectiveness, appropriateness of care, patient well-being and cost reduction.
The Master’s Degree in Management of Skin Lesions and Difficult Wounds (wound care) trains nurses who are experts in the theory and practice of treating ulcerative pathology, enabling them to understand the key aspects of correctly diagnosing patients with chronic skin ulcers and therefore directing them towards the most appropriate medical/surgical treatment. Ample space is given to new advanced dressings, with a focus on knowledge of dressing materials and devices and on acquiring manual skills in the art of bandaging. The principles of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are also covered, with a view to continuous improvement in quality and safety.
Teaching methods and tools include lectures, multidisciplinary discussion of live cases, participation in live surgery sessions and attendance at clinics, direct planning of surgery on patients, and interaction with the tutor in the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to patients with skin ulcers.
Independent judgement is one of the primary objectives of the Master’s programme, which presents a range of dressing techniques applied by different teachers who take turns in the operating theatre, specialist wards and clinics throughout the year.
The Master’s Degree in Management of Skin Lesions and Difficult Wounds (wound care) is aimed at nurses who want to acquire or update their knowledge and practical skills on the correct therapeutic path for patients suffering from skin ulcers. The aim of the Master’s Degree is to train expert professionals who can find employment in emerging public and private healthcare centres dedicated to the treatment of difficult wounds.
The Master’s Degree in Skin Lesion and Difficult Wound Management (wound care) provides training in:
• Assessment of healthy skin characteristics and maintenance of skin integrity: principles of anatomy and histology, biological basis of the healing process, treatment of healthy skin, children and the elderly;
• Critical assessment of the main aids used for tissue load management for the prevention of pressure injuries;
• Classification and assessment of skin lesions using indices and assessment tools, improvement of observational and descriptive skills at the clinical care level: skin alterations, skin tears, diagnostic classification of ulcers, WBP-TIME, etc.;
• Prevention, assessment and treatment of vascular lesions, pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, infected lesions and other skin lesions (burns, paediatric, traumatic, neoplastic and in subjects with autoimmune diseases, surgical wounds, complex trauma): medical and surgical treatment, skin grafts and flaps, advanced dressings, negative pressure therapy, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, new technologies in the management of patients with vascular ulcers, management of vascular ulcers, therapy for critical ischaemic lesions, elements of medical therapy in phlebostatic ulcers, elements of instrumental diagnostics;
• Compression bandaging of the lower limbs: superficial and deep venous thrombosis – clinical and instrumental signs, post-thrombotic syndrome, bandaging techniques, patient and family education, varicose vein treatment;
• Pain management in patients with skin lesions;
• The reality of the social and healthcare district;
• Identification and design of innovative professional activities and training activities in the field of wound care;
• Research and use of databases in wound care.
The general ranking of merit will be published on the Italian page of this Master according to the timing provided in the Call.
The Master’s programme lasts 9 months with monthly cycles. Each cycle corresponds to one week per month, from Monday to Friday, full time for a total of 40 hours per week; each cycle includes introductory lectures, live surgery lessons, seminars and practical exercises.
Attendance is compulsory, and each student must attend at least 70% of the lessons and 100% of the internship hours required by the Master’s programme.
During the internship weeks, participants attend hospital wards, following their tutor in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures on patients with skin ulcers.
The teachings offered during the Master’s programme must be applied and summarised in the final thesis, which is the subject of the final exam.
Information
FAQ
The student must complete 200 hours of practical training in the departments of the University Hospital of Padua and in departments affiliated with the University of Padua. The internship is mandatory and can only be carried out in facilities that have signed a specific agreement with the University of Padua.
Research activities are planned within the participating universities and in collaboration with leading companies involved in skin ulcer therapy, with the aim of understanding the biological principles of the main advanced dressings and medical devices currently used for the treatment of skin ulcers (e.g. negative pressure therapy). The research activity consists of participating in seminars, visiting laboratories and, possibly, writing compilation theses.
Yes, there are interim assessments, usually at the end of each module, and a final exam, which consists of writing and presenting a final paper (thesis).
No, there are no scholarships offered.
There will be some research activities in the university institutions taking part and in collaboration with the main industries involved in skin-ulcer therapy to learn about the biological principles of the main types of advanced dressings and medical devices currently in use for the treatment of skin ulcers (i.e., negative pressure therapy). Research activities will include attending seminars, visiting laboratories, and possibly writing theses papers.