As many American hospitals have shifted their resources into fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, wound care has also seen changes in practice. I work at the University of Nebraska Medical Center where we have a bio-containment unit, which was used to care for a few patients with Ebola infections. The ‘Ebola experience’ also created a lot of learning opportunities for the healthcare system, including outreach programmes through a funded project called ‘Heroes’. So, we have been fortunate to be ahead of the curve in training, equipment and space needs. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, we created a COVID-19 unit for patients on ventilators, a mask re-sterilisation area, a COVID-19 hospice unit and residential space for our healthcare workers. We also cared for the first round of patients from a contaminated cruise ship, so we were able to sample blood for viral load and antibody responses. However, our hospital, like many others, has had to change its approach to wound care for patients with COVID-19 and family members who bring them to the clinics.
