Wound Care

The Wound Healing Center at Rapid City Regional Hospital provides individualized quality wound treatment plans. These plans are developed by specially trained wound care nurses in collaboration with each patient's primary physician. RCRH Wound Healing Center is comprised of 18 Registered Nurses divided into two highly developed teams. Of these 18 nurses, six are nationally certified in wound and/or ostomy care. We also have a fully staffed Hyperbaric Medicine Department and a certified Hyperbaric medicine nurse.

The Wound Care Department provides a multidisciplinary program of treatment and support services for the cost-effective management of acute and chronic problem wounds.

The most common conditions evaluated and treated include chronic, non-healing wounds resulting from:

• Arterial ulcers
• Burns
• Compromised skin grafts and flaps 
• Non-healing diabetic wounds
• Pressure ulcers
• Problem surgical wounds 
• Radiation injury
• Trauma wounds
• Venous status ulcers 

The Wound Healing Center care team at Rapid City Regional Hospital consists of wound, ostomy, continence and hyperbaric nurses overseen by the ordering physicians. The goals of the wound care team include:

• Provide continuity of wound care
• Prevent or control infection
• Optimize drainage and remove necrotic tissue
• Prevent premature wound closure
• Educate patients on treatment and prevention
• Decrease hospitalizations

Meet the Wound Care team at Rapid City Regional Hospital

At the Wound Healing Center at Rapid City Regional Hospital, the in patient team focuses on the hospitalized patients of RCRH with traumatic, post-surgical and chronic or ongoing wounds such as pressure ulcers, diabetic, venous or arterial insufficiency wounds. Often when a patient is discharged from the hospital, your physician will refer you to the outpatient center for further follow-up and treatment.

The outpatient team serves patients in a clinical setting. This team cares for individuals referred to our care from physicians in the five state region. Most often, these patients suffer from chronic wounds that require specialized treatment and close monitoring.
 

Patient Information

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When you arrive for your appointment:

1. Enter the Regional Rehabilitation Institute at 2908 Fifth Street(see map). Please arrive 30 minutes early prior to your first appointment.
2. Register at the front desk in the main lobby upon entering the Rehabilitation Institute.
3. You will then take the elevator to the 3rd floor. Take an immediate right when exiting the elevators. The Wound Healing check-in desk will be on the left near the end of the hallway.
4. You will be asked to fill out medical information forms if you haven't done so already. Forms to complete and bring to your first visit are (pdfs):
   1. Welcome (Informational Only)
   2. Medical Questionnaire
   3. Informed Consent
5. You will also be asked to sign consent forms permitting the staff to provide care as indicated on each form.
6. If you are to change dressings between visits, you will be given complete instructions. You will also be given prescriptions for dressing supplies to be filled at a local distribution center. 
7. If someone will be helping you with dressing changes at home, please have that person accompany you to appointments. 

Wound Care Center
Regional Rehabilitation Institute
2908 Fifth Street (3rd Floor)
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 719-1309

Services are available Monday 
through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.