The Dressing Clinic offers peace of mind
Lyndsey Cremin is the owner of The Dressing Clinic, a specialist healthcare business based in Cork. The service was initially set up in 2021 but is really taking off now.
The Dressing Clinic is a community-based wound care service available to people living in Cork city and surrounding areas.
Patients are cared for by a specialist nurse, in the comfort of their own home. It means people no longer need to worry about getting to and from their clinic appointments. They come to you!
“I have spent a lot of my career working with patients on surgical wards and noticed that the same issues always popped up when patients were being discharged home with a wound. Who was going to change the dressing? Who would they contact if they were worried about their wound?
“Things are a little more straightforward for those who qualify for a medical card and can be seen by their local public health nurse. However for those without a medical card, community wound care options are very limited. Patients usually end up asking their pharmacist for advice, buying some dressings (which can be expensive) and managing at home as best they can for a while.
“Caring for your wound can also be very time consuming and disruptive to your life. Some people may need their wound looked at and their dressing changed 2 or 3 times a week and this could go on for a few weeks. The Dressing Clinic offers out-of hours & weekend appointments. This means people can have their wound care done outside of work/school time and minimise interruptions to their daily life. The thinking behind The Dressing Clinic was to bridge the gap between hospital and home wound care for these people. Living with a wound is hard enough without worrying about who is going to help you manage it. Hopefully this service will reduce stress for people and help them recover and heal faster.”
“This service was initially set up in 2021 but things were put on hold for a bit last year while I was on maternity leave.”
Tell us about your background:
“I trained as a general nurse in Dundalk Institute of Technology and qualified in 2014. After qualifying, I worked as a staff nurse in an orthopaedic trauma unit before returning home to Cork where I took up a staff nurse position in the Mercy University Hospital. It was there that I recognised my passion for wound care and decided to further my education. I attended The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and I completed a post graduate diploma in 2017 and MSc in Wound Management & Tissue Viaiblity (2018). I was then appointed as the first Tissue Viability Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Bon Secours Hospital Cork.”
“There is no need for a referral from your doctor or nurse. People can contact us directly by phone or email and we will arrange an appointment for a time that suits you. Referrals from healthcare professionals are also welcome.”
“We can care for most types of wounds from surgical wounds to leg ulcers.
“We can also collaborate with your public health nurse/GP/hospital to support you in caring for your wound at home. I also provide education to nurses through NMBI accredited study days.”
“It is very satisfying to see a wound heal up! The best part of my job though is meeting people and coming up with a plan that suits their needs and also fits into their lives.
“It's easy for us as healthcare professionals to suggest the best treatments but if the patient doesn't fully understand why we have suggested something, then it can be very difficult for them to get on board.
“I might only be dealing with this wound for an hour/week when it's the patient who is living with it 24/7!
“That's why it's so important to take the time to speak to people and listen to their concerns. I love working with people and their families to find a solution!”