Beyond Healing: Principles of Palliative Wound Care

Wound care in palliative medicine requires a distinct approach that prioritizes comfort, dignity, and quality of life rather than cure. Unlike curative wound management, which focuses on complete healing, palliative wound care centers on minimizing pain, controlling odor and exudate, reducing infection risk, and addressing the emotional and psychosocial burdens that wounds may bring. This Interprofessional Grand Rounds session will explore evidence-based strategies for managing common palliative wounds, including malignant wounds, pressure injuries, and fungating lesions, while addressing patient and family concerns around comfort, body image, and goals of care.

This session will also highlight how disparities in access to wound care products, clinician expertise, and culturally sensitive care can profoundly impact patient experiences and outcomes. Practical techniques and case examples will be shared to help clinicians tailor interventions to each patient’s unique needs, while acknowledging the systemic barriers that contribute to inequities in care. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the role of palliative wound care in enhancing quality of life, strategies for compassionate communication, and tools for integrating equitable practices into clinical care.