Iona is a trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner in plastic surgery at Kings College Hospital, a major trauma centre in London.

Throughout her different roles including plastics outreach nursing, head and neck, oncology, general surgery and tissue viability clinical nurse specialist, Iona has gained extensive experience managing plastic surgery patients both in the acute and community care settings.

Iona is dedicated in supporting the discharge of patients with complex plastic surgery wounds from hospital, to prevent prolonged hospital stays and complications as well as being a passionate educator. Iona regularly provides plastic surgery education in her clinical areas to empower nursing staff, helping them feel confident in managing plastic surgery wounds within the hospital and community.

Presentation at Burns and Plastic Surgery: Optimising skin health and wound healing study day

Achieving Skin Graft Success: Strategies to Minimise Failure

Abstract

A skin graft is a commonly performed and generally straightforward reconstructive surgery in plastic surgery. However, the surgery itself is just one aspect of the patient’s journey toward wound healing, with postoperative nursing care being crucial to minimising the risk of graft failure. This presentation will focus on complications that can arise during the skin graft healing process including, how to recognise and manage these challenges. Additionally, it will explore the vital collaboration between plastic surgery services and community nursing teams, highlighting how this partnership is essential for enhancing patient outcomes in skin graft healing.