Health Outcomes Led by Advanced Practice Nurses in Patients With Chronic Wounds: A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT

Aim

To examine and map the available literature on outcomes associated with interventions carried out by advanced practice nurses in chronic wound care.

Background

The role of the advanced practice nurses in wound care is identified as a key element in the management of patients with chronic wounds. However, the literature offers fragmented knowledge of the outcomes associated with their practice.

Design

Scoping review.

Methods

This scoping review was conducted following the methodological framework proposed by Arskey and O'Malley, following the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis for Scoping Review. PRISMA-ScR Checklist is included in the manuscript. Observational or experimental studies related to patients affected by chronic wounds and cared for by advanced practice nurses in wound care were included.

Data Sources

The following databases were queried: PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Scopus from 01 May 2025 to 31 October 2025.

Results

The search strategy in the consulted databases identified 1956 studies; 31 met the inclusion criteria. Different types of chronic wounds were investigated: diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and pressure injuries. The most frequently measured outcomes were clinical responses (healing, recurrence, complications), organizational efficiency (referrals, resource utilization), and patient-reported outcomes.

Conclusion

Evidence from the included studies suggests that Advanced practice nurses led wound care models may be associated with faster healing, lower recurrence and complication rates, and more efficient care pathways, across different settings. This review highlights the global applicability of APN-led models, showing consistent improvements in clinical, organizational, and patient-reported outcomes through core interventions.

Reporting Method

This scoping review follows Arskey and O'Malley's methodological framework and the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis for Scoping Review.

Patient or Public Contribution

No Patient or Public Contribution.

Protocol Registration

The revision protocol was registered on the OSF (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/P9TA4).