How to prevent and avoid common mistakes in skin tear management in the home setting.

Skin tears are acute wounds, often mismanaged and misdiagnosed that can convert to chronic wounds, representing a common but relevant burden to both the individual and the health care system. The implementation of prevention protocols and training programs is essential to manage these wounds in the community. Managing a skin tear-related problem at home represents a challenge, due to some critical issues and specific conditions. A multifaceted prevention programme should consider the involvement of relatives, caregivers and personal care aides in order to promote patients' safety, to minimise the risk of trauma and to improve patients' outcomes following a skin injury.