Challenges in wound care dressing prescriptions: impact on community nursing

Background: The NHS is experiencing a decline in community nursing staff, who are essential frontline healthcare providers with a pivotal role in wound management. Aims: To understand the impact of the wound dressing prescription process on clinical time, patient outcomes and environmental considerations. Methods: A survey was carried out from 2022 to 2023, collecting data from community nurses across the UK. The survey explored time spent on prescription-related tasks, dressing wastage and prescription delay durations. Data were reviewed and analysed using Microsoft Excel. Results: Nurses reported spending an average of 2.4 hours per week managing wound dressing prescriptions. Average dressing wastage was 20.8%. Prescription delays averaged 5.9 days, with 79.8% of respondents believing these delays negatively impacted patient outcomes, including prolonged healing and increased complications. Conclusions: The findings show a significant administrative burden on healthcare professionals, leading to reduced efficiency and increased workload. Dressing wastage and prescription delays highlight systemic inefficiencies affecting patient care and environmental sustainability. Implications for practice: The implementation of non-prescription systems and digital tools can significantly reduce the average 5.9-day delay in receiving prescriptions, ensuring timely delivery of wound care and alleviating stress on nursing staff.