RADFORD – Kimberly Hall, a first-year graduate student in the Radford University School of Nursing program, was selected as one of five winners in a national case study contest sponsored by Smith & Nephew, manufacturers of wound, surgical, orthopedic and endotracheal products.

Hall, of Radford, will receive a monetary award and will present her work during a national conference in October. The conference, “The Clinical Symposium on Advances in Skin and Wound Care,” is sponsored by the journal “Advances in Skin and Wound Care” and is regularly attended by 2,000 medical personnel.

In order to be selected for consideration for the case study competition, contestants worked with a chosen patient and monitored the progress made using a Smith & Nephew product treatment. Contestants were required to measure and photograph the wound on a weekly basis and followed a specific case study format provided by Smith & Nephew. After the case studies were submitted to the company, a panel of five independent judges chose the winners.

Hall submitted her case study documenting a patient with a particularly unique foot wound. After a standard surgery procedure failed, the patient was sent to the Wound Healing Center at Lewis-Gale Medical Center where Hall applied a special treatment using Iodosorb, a product designed to accelerate healing and reduce bacteria. Within weeks, the wound made significant progress and eliminated the need for additional surgery or amputation.

“This award proves that the clinical work we do at our facility actually works and is a benefit to our patients,” said Hall. “This is my first publication, and gaining this award has encouraged me to continue with research and publications. I have a few more ideas for case studies I would like to try with this newfound success.”

Hall is currently working on her wound care certification, which requires five years of experience working in wound care, a nine-week course consisting of diadatic teaching and clinical experience, and a certification exam. The course must be approved by the Certified Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse credential board, which is certified by the American Board of Nursing Specialties.