Role of the Healico© Wound Care Smartphone Application in Preventing a Foot Amputation in a 65-Year-Old Patient with Diabetes.

BACKGROUND Healico© is an innovative smartphone application designed to assist healthcare professionals in managing wounds in their daily practice. The application records all clinical information of the wound, facilitating its monitoring, and may lead to the selection of the best treatment for the patient. In addition, the application allows secure data sharing among healthcare professionals. CASE REPORT We report the successful use of Healico© in aiding the avoidance of foot amputation in a 65-year-old patient with diabetes. The patient had a diabetic foot ulcer, the main cause of lower limb amputation in Spain. Amputations negatively impact the quality of life of patients and are an enormous economic burden. The treatment of diabetic foot ulcers requires a multidisciplinary approach with good coordination between healthcare professionals from different fields and between different levels of care (primary care centers, sociosanitary centers, and hospitals). Through the use of Healico©, the patient with severe clinical signs of infection was referred urgently from primary care to the referral hospital and was quickly treated with antibiotics and underwent surgery. As a result, the infection was successfully delimited and excision of the foot was prevented. CONCLUSIONS Healico© promoted rapid communication between the primary care center and hospital, enabling urgent referral of the patient to a specialist. This clinical case reports the value that a digital application can bring to the healthcare sector and, in particular, the value of Healico© implementation in the daily practice of healthcare professionals to optimize the management of wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers.

Modelo de aprendizaje basado en problemas (ABP-2×3): decisiones con evidencia en cuidados de heridas complejas / Problem-based learning (PBL-2x3) model: evidence based decision making in complex wound care

Introducción: El modelo ABP-2×3 integra técnicas de aprendizaje basado en problemas, uso de pensamiento crítico y práctica basada en evidencias, determinando un modelo de práctica óptimo para la toma de decisiones. Objetivos: a) Establecer un modelo de entrenamiento aprendizaje que permita orientar a las enfermeras hacia el análisis causal y clínico de cada problema o situación (pensamiento crítico), para facilitar la toma de decisiones basadas en la evidencia en el abordaje de heridas complejas; b) sentar las bases de actuación para que las enfermeras puedan trasladar esa sistemática metodológica a cualquier otra situación clínica en su ejercicio profesional, y c) determinar el nivel de satisfacción de los alumnos al utilizar este nuevo modelo formativo. Metodología: El desarrollo, implementación y evaluación del ABP-2×3 necesitó 4 fases: desarrollo de la situación clínica con preguntas clínicas para la toma de decisiones, organización metodológica, implementación (2 momentos/3 niveles) y evaluación (estudio de satisfacción cuantitativo-cualitativo). Resultados: Se impartió formación ABP-2×3 (virtual y presencial) a 1.112 enfermeras de toda España, obteniendo cuantitativamente Net Promoter Score de 80,25 (modalidad virtual) y 88,48 (presencial), y cualitativamente emergieron categorías relacionadas con metodología, pensamiento crítico, práctica basada en evidencias y conocimientos específicos. Conclusiones: El ABP-2×3, aplicado al cuidado de personas con heridas complejas, orienta la toma de decisiones basadas en evidencia, con alto grado de satisfacción de las enfermeras. Promueve el pensamiento crítico, la toma de decisiones basadas en evidencia y el desarrollo de competencias transversales, posibilitando que los participantes sean protagonistas de su propio aprendizaje. En definitiva, “aprendiendo a aprender” (AU)

Introduction: The ABP-2×3 model integrates problem-based learning techniques, use of critical thinking and evidence-based practice, resulting in an optimal Practice Decision-Making model. Objectives: a) establish a training-learning model to guide nurses towards causal and clinical case analysis of each problem or situation (critical thinking) to facilitate evidence based decision making in the management of complex wounds; b) lay the foundations for nurses to be able to transfer this systematic methodology to any other clinical situation in their professional practice; and c) determine the level of satisfaction of the students when using this new training model. Methodology: The development, implementation and evaluation of the ABP 2×3 required 4 phases: development of the clinical situation with clinical decision-making questions, methodological organization, implementation (2 moments/3 levels) and evaluation (quantitative qualitative satisfaction survey). Results: ABP-2×3 training (virtual and face-to-face) was provided to 1,112 nurses from all over Spain, with the following outcomes, quantitatively Net Promoter Score of 80.25 (virtual modality) and 88.48 (face-to-face), and qualitatively categories emerged related to methodology, critical thinking, evidence-based practice and specific knowledge. Conclusions: The ABP-2×3 applied to the care of people with complex wounds, guides evidence-based decision making, with a high degree of satisfaction among nurses. It promotes critical thinking, evidence based decision making and the development of transversal competencies, enabling participants to be the protagonists of their own learning. In essence, “learning how to learn” (AU)