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Acta Vulnologica 2003 August;1(1):33-6

Copyright © 2003 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Wounded persons’ psychological perspective: the harmony of the healing process

Coppi C.

Servizio Assistenza Domicilare Integrata, ASL, Cremona

Wound care and related healing strategies are very important topics from the very beginning of medicine. In the long history of care for cutaneous ulcers, the focus has shifted from the detailed observation of the wound to the patient’s behaviour examination. Clinical diagnosis is the first step to be undertaken to heal an ulcer, the next one is the dressing. There is a third step, albeit rarely considered: the analysis of the wounded person’s psychology. A review of the related medical literature points out some interesting topics that should be taken into consideration by the wound care nursing community. For example, depression plays a crucial role conditioning the healing process. The awareness that everything is done to heal the wound may be of utmost importance to restore the psychophysical well-being of the patient. The pain experienced by a wounded person is more considered today, but it is not enough to deal with the wound care from a holistic point of view. The harmony of the heal- ing process cannot be only the result of the doctor-patient relationship, but it is to be built by a number of professionals acting together: you cannot forget the psychologist.