Patient and Caregiver Education
Teach to the learner, not to the wound
Begin with an assessment of health literacy, cognition, vision and hearing, language, culture, and who actually performs care at home. Written materials should sit near a 5th–6th grade reading level with pictures and large print; use a qualified interpreter, not a family member, for consent-level teaching. Confirm understanding with teach-back ("show me how you would change this dressing") rather than "do you have any questions?"
Core self-care content
Pressure injuries: reposition at least every two hours in bed and hourly in a chair, use the prescribed support surface, inspect skin daily with a mirror, keep skin clean and dry, avoid massaging bony prominences and avoid heat lamps. Venous ulcers: don the compression garment before getting out of bed, wear it all day, exercise, and elevate legs above heart level when resting. Diabetic foot ulcers: offload every step, never walk barefoot, inspect feet daily, wear protective footwear, and never self-treat calluses. Nutrition is wound care: adequate protein (often about 1.25–1.5 g/kg/day when malnourished with a pressure injury), calories, and hydration.
Report, don't wait
Give explicit red flags: fever, spreading redness, streaking, foul odor, sudden pain, wound separation, new discoloration, or a new black area. State exactly whom to call and when.
Trap and worked example
Questions reward documented education plus a return demonstration, and penalize "the patient was told" as sufficient. Example: a caregiver says, "I understand," but cannot name the dressing-change days - the best answer is to repeat teaching with a written schedule, obtain teach-back, and arrange follow-up, not to hand over more pamphlets.