Date of Graduation

Fall 12-18-2026

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Department/Program

Nursing

Program

Healthcare Systems Leadership DNP

First Advisor

Dr. Kelly Fox

Second Advisor

Dr. Ricky Norwood

Abstract

Wound care is among the most significant public health concerns, affecting millions of people worldwide. Most individuals with wounds end up self-managing their condition from their homes due to being discharged early from the hospital, owing to various reasons, and the costs associated with health care. Although home wound management offers convenience and lower costs for patients, it is also associated with substantial challenges, including limited access to and use of appropriate care protocols, wound management tools, and sufficient education on the topic, as well as limited professional advice. These limitations contribute to poor outcomes, including slow healing rates, infections, and a poor quality of life for affected individuals. The integrative review of the literature aims to investigate the effectiveness of implementing standardized, evidence-based protocols for managing wounds in homes, where professionals leading these efforts are nurses assisted by multidisciplinary teams, in improving outcomes, including the rate and quality of healing, as well as the presence of complications. The evidence highlights the benefits of nurse-led, patient-centered support, guidance, and education in wound management, along with evidence-based protocols and checklists, in enhancing the wound- healing process and improving self-management efficacy among patients managing wounds at home. The clinical implications are that if standardized nursing practice protocols for wound care, patient teaching, and interdisciplinary cooperation were implemented holistically in homes, there would be a positive impact on healing outcomes, fewer complications, and improved overall quality of life. Therefore, the findings support nurse-led interventions in wound care and patient education, as well as an interdisciplinary team approach to enhance healing outcomes, patient participation, and safety during home care. Keywords: wound care, home-based care, nurse-led intervention, wound management protocols, multidisciplinary intervention

3 Impact of Implementing Standard Wound Care Guidelines for Patients in the Home Care

Setting on Patient Outcomes

Millions of people develop wounds annually and either have to visit the healthcare system for costly care or remain at home, where they provide self-care. Huang et al. (2023) argue that up to 61% of patients with any wound are likely to be discharged for continued treatment at home. While the home environment is convenient for patients, it also lacks critical resources, such as wound-dressing materials, which undermines the quality of wound care (Mohammed et al., 2025) . A lack of access to adequate resources increases the danger of infection associated with wounds. Notably, limited engagement, a lack of standardized, evidence-based wound care protocols for home care, and restricted access to multidisciplinary teams hinder wound care in the home environment.

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