Wound assessment and dressing selection: an overview.

Wound healing consists of four overlapping phases. Holistic assessment of a wound is essential and can confirm whether healing is progressing as anticipated. Frameworks can assist the clinician to conduct the assessment in a systematic way and to plan appropriate care for the patient. Dressings form a relatively small part of the overall care plan, but with such an array available the choice can be overwhelming. This article provides an update on wound assessment using the TIMERS framework and considers the factors influencing dressing choice.