Webinars

Missing Piece of the Wound Care Puzzle: The Key Role of Nutrition in Wound Management

Is your wound care missing the one thing that could speed healing—nutrition?

Presenter(s): Carley Rusch, PhD, RDN, LDN

Date: 08 April 2026

Time: Noon-1 PM ET

Location: Live webinar

Continuing Education Credits: Nurse Contact 1.0 CE; Dietitian 1.0 CPEU

Summary

In this free, live accredited webinar, our speakers will explore the critical role of nutrition in wound healing and provides practical strategies for implementation across diverse care settings. Participants will review nutrition support strategies for pressure injuries, lower extremity ulcers, surgical wounds, and oncology-related wounds, as well as examine real-world evidence and quality improvement frameworks. Through case-based discussion and current guidelines, the program emphasizes actionable approaches for optimizing outcomes in individuals at high nutritional risk.

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Missing Piece of the Wound Care Puzzle: The Key Role of Nutrition in Wound Management

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Key Takeaways:

  • Multiple nutrition and medical society guidelines recognize that nutrition, specifically protein, plays a key role in wound healing, and nutrition assessment by a dietitian should be completed 
  • Oral nutrition supplements are an option when patients with wounds cannot meet their nutritional needs via diet alone

Related Questions:

  • Why is nutrition so important for wound healing?
    Metabolic demands are increased during wound healing, which in turn, increases nutritional needs for calories, protein, fluid, micronutrients (e.g., vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc) and conditionally essential amino acids (e.g., arginine and glutamine). Poor nutritional status and dietary intake can increase patient’s risk of delayed wound healing.
  • How can oral nutrition supplements (ONS) support wound healing?
    Oral nutrition supplements help meet nutritional needs of wound healing when patients are unable to consume enough of these nutrients through diet alone.

Presenter Bio(s):

Carley Rusch, PhD, RDN, LDN

Adult Medical Science Liaison
Medical Affairs & Research
Abbott Nutrition 
Gainesville, FL, USA

Carley Rusch serves as a Medical Science Liaison in Medical Affairs & Research at Abbott, specializing in Adult Therapeutic Nutrition. Prior to joining Abbott, Dr Rusch completed her bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida (UF), specializing in Dietetics. She earned her master’s degree and completed her dietetic internship through the MS-DI program at UF. During her dietetic training, she also served as a research coordinator on a variety of study protocols, including topics on gastrointestinal dysfunction, inflammation, pre- and probiotics, and the gut microbiome. She then went on to work as an inpatient dietitian at AdventHealth Orlando and served as a preceptor for their dietetic internship program. Her clinical experience spans a variety of disease states, such as cancer, gastrointestinal and neurological disorders, malnutrition, and critical care.

Following her time working in clinical practice, Dr Rusch completed her PhD in Nutritional Sciences at UF. Her doctoral research investigated the effect of the Mediterranean diet on improving constipation and intestinal inflammation in Parkinson’s disease. During her graduate programs, she has taught multiple undergraduate and graduate courses on nutrition, metabolism, and research methods. In 2020, she was awarded Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year by the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Dr Rusch has several publications in peer-reviewed journals and has been invited to present at national and international conferences.

References:

  • Marion M & de Jesus A. Chapter 36: Wound Healing. In: Chan LN, ed. The ASPEN Adult Nutrition Core Curriculum. 4th ed. Silver Spring, MD: American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition; 2025:945-967. 
  • National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance. Nutrition in Pressure Injury Prevention. In: Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline. The International Guideline: Fourth Edition. Emily Haesler (Ed.). 2025. Accessed December 2025. Available from: https://internationalguideline.com  
  • Standardized Pressure Injury Prevention Protocol Checklist (Adult 2.0). National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel – Standardized Pressure Injury Prevention Protocol (SPIPP-Adult 2.0). https://npiap.com/page/FreeMaterials. Accessed December 3, 2025. 
  • Armstrong DG, et al. Nutrition Interventions in Adults with Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Expert Consensus and Guidance. http://eguideline.guidelinecentral.com/i/1428995-nutrition-in-dfu-guidelines-advisory-pocket-guide/o. Accessed February 2026. 
  • O'Donnell TF Jr, et al. J Vasc Surg. 2014;60(2 Suppl):3S-59S. 
  • Kelechi TJ, et al. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2020;47(2):97-110.
Category
CE CPEU Adult Inpatient Nutrition