Wound Care and Hyperbaric Chamber

The Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center is an outpatient chronic wound and hyperbaric oxygen therapy department consisting of five outpatient care rooms.  These exam rooms are used for patient exams; including: wound assessments, procedures, and noninvasive vascular testing.  Additionally, there are three mono-place Hyperbaric Chambers.  The clinic hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 8:00am – 5:00pm. The clinic is located in Magnolia Park at 3951 NW 48th Terrace, Suite 211, Gainesville, FL 32606. The phone number to the clinic is (352) 265-4450.  The fax number for the clinic is (352) 672-4404. 

The department is staffed with Registered Nurses (RN) and Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRT) and/or Certified Hyperbaric staff.  The RNs are responsible for initial pre-treatment work ups, wound assessments, case management (ordering supplies, following up with patients regarding tests/procedures/consults needed, patient education/teaching, collaborating with physician regarding patients care/wound care dressings, completing medical surveillance reviews on all pts who do not meet healing goals, and utilizing the Interdisciplinary case management tool), patient discharge (applying wound dressings, teaching/educating patients/caregivers on wound care), screening patients for hyperbaric therapy, operating the Hyperbaric Chamber (HBO), and monitoring patients during HBO treatments. The RRT/Certified Hyperbaric Staff is responsible for assisting with pre-treatment HBO education, monitoring, ensuring safety measures are upheld and notifying physicians of any issues while patients are undergoing treatments, daily maintenance/operation of the Hyperbaric Chamber, and supervising the patients during HBO treatments.

Description of Patient Population

The UF Health Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center provide the highest quality, full-service wound care and hyperbaric therapy to the residents of Gainesville and the surrounding areas.  The Center provides assessment, wound screening, diagnosis, and treatment of adult patients.

Nursing: Nursing care is focused on patient assessment, pre- procedural preparation, wound and lower extremity assessments, topical medication administration, patient comfort, procedural care, assisting physician with setting up procedures, pain assessment, application of dressings, and observation of patient’s pre/post/during HBO treatment.  Nurses utilize evidence based clinical guidelines based on wound type to deliver consistent, and high quality care.  Nursing activities also include collaborating with the medical staff regarding patient wound care and HBO treatments.

The Hyperbaric Technician’s duties include; vital signs including pain and pulse oximetry, glucose monitoring, adherence to safety precautions; monitoring patient’s pre, post and during hyperbaric oxygenation therapy treatment, ear evaluation, and patient/family education regarding hyperbaric therapy.  Additional duties include: downloading wound pictures, appointment reminder calls, unit surveillance audits, reviewing potential HBO referrals and collaborating with medical team to determine if appropriate, uploading medical documents for potential HBO patients, following up with pending HBO patients to provide updates on start date or tests pending, ensuring medical team is made aware of any updates on pts surgery dates, and when medical surveillances are due.

Health Care Team

The Medical Director is Board Certified in Family Medicine and is appointed by the Department Chair of Community Health and Family Medicine.  The Family Medicine Division consists of attending physicians, fellows, and residents. The Unit is staffed with registered nurses and respiratory therapists (HBO technicians).  The HBO technicians and case managers report to a Program Director and/or Clinical Coordinator.  The Clinical Coordinator serves as the liaison to the Program Director and Associate Vice President of Operations.

Staffing Plan

The Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center is currently staffed with Registered Nurses (4.5 FTEs) and Respiratory Therapists /HBO Technicians (1.2 FTEs).  Daily staffing varies based on wound care appointments and the hyperbaric oxygen therapy schedule.  A RN, physician, and HBO technician need to be on site when patients are receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Wound Care Clinic Workflow: 

  • Admitting/discharge patients, follow up nurse visits for return patients
  • Assessment of patients: vital signs, pain, current medications and allergies, etc.
  • Lower extremity assessment including; calf measurements, ABIs, Doppler pulses, monofilament testing
  • Wound assessment and measurement (length, width, and depth)
  • Pt education/teaching, initiate/review/update care plans, discharge teaching
  • Dressing application  
  • Assist Physician with set up for wound debridement, culture, biopsy, setup for application of cellular replacements, and preparing patients for Total contact casts.  

Diagnostic Testing:

  • Blood Glucose testing
  • Non-invasive vascular studies (ABI’s, Doppler pulses)
  • Transcutaneous Oxygen testing (T-Com)

Procedures in the Wound Care Clinic: 

  • Wound Debridement
  • Wound culture/biopsy
  • Total Contact Casts
  • Cellular and Tissue based products
  • Negative pressure dressings and wound therapy 
  • Wound Biopsy
  • Incision and Drainage of abscess
  • Compression wraps
  • Callus removal
  • Nail debridement

Procedures in the Hyperbaric Chamber area:

  • Hyperbaric therapy
  • Ear checks
  • Transcutaneous oximetry (T-com) in and/or out of chamber
  • Lung auscultation

Diagnostic Testing In Hyperbaric Chamber area:

  • Blood Glucose testing

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Jennifer Zimmerman, RN, explaining to a parent and her daughter how to use a bedside asthma action plan.