Recording wounds: Polaroid's new medically-designed cameras.

Wound management is an important and increasingly complex area of nursing practice. Community nurses, in particular, spend a considerable amount of time assessing, evaluating and managing chronic, non-healing wounds. The rapid rise in the number of wound care products, combined with the emphasis on clinical governance and risk management, and increases in litigation have meant that accurate documentation and record keeping have become an essential part of care (UKCC, 1992, 1998). A standardized approach to assessment, classification, measurement and evaluation should be adopted to maximize optimal patient outcomes. There are a number of techniques for measuring wounds, ranging from manual measurement using tracing to computer-based imaging. Photography is a simple and quick form of documentation, which provides an accurate and objective record of the wound. This article highlights the benefits of using the new Polaroid Macro 5 SLR camera in wound documentation.