Christine Murphy, RN, PhD, is a Nurse Practitioner and Researcher at The Ottawa Hospital. Her innovation is a nurse-applied ultrasound wound debridement clinic that is an alternative to physician operating room (OR) debridement of lower extremity vascular wounds. This method of debridement can be easily applied by a nurse in an outpatient setting thereby reducing the need for physician debridement which requires a full surgical team and OR space.  An expert in wound care, and President of Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy, Continence Canada (formerly known as ET nurses), Christine knows that lower extremity vascular wounds are increasing in prevalence, consume inordinate amounts of healthcare resources, and have high risk of complications such as amputation, serious infection and excessive pain.  It has been demonstrated that regularly and adequately debrided wounds heal faster. Eliminating operative procedures with new techniques can improve the patient experience and reduce health system costs. As explained in the video below, if a feasible clinical model of care can be developed through this innovation program, the model could have nurse uptake nationally.

Christine’s award of $13,640 will support the evaluation of the work that has been started so that this practice can be moved into regular nursing standards of care.