When:

Wednesday, November 6th, 2024 from 1:00pm - 3:00pm ET. 

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) and Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH), in collaboration with the Center for Forensic Science Research & Education (CSFRE), are providing this training for clinicians on the best practices for caring for individuals with xylazine-associated wounds.

Xylazine is a veterinary sedative commonly present alongside illicitly manufactured fentanyl in Pennsylvania’s drug supply, and reports of xylazine-associated wounds continue to grow across the state. Xylazine-associated wounds are now recognized as a distinct clinical entity, and in January 2024 PDPH released guidance on best practices for caring for individuals with xylazine associated wounds. These best practices were developed by clinicians and non-clinicians with years of experience caring for individuals with xylazine-associated wounds in Philadelphia across hospital, street-based, substance use treatment, and community-based organization settings.

Anyone who interacts with people who use drugs can benefit from learning about how to care for people with xylazine-associated wounds.

These training will be offered in two separate two-hour sessions. The first live webinar on October 23rd, 2024 will be for non-clinicians, and the second live webinar on November 6th, 2024 will be for clinicians.  The webinar designed for clinicians will include recommendations that require clinical licenses to implement and offer continuing education credits. Both trainings will include the basics of xylazine-associated wound care to support people with xylazine-associated wounds to independently care for themselves.

This registration page is specifically for the CLINICAL training.

Detailed Learning Objectives:

1. Relate focused elements of the unregulated street drug supply, and its impact on people who use drugs and those that work with them

2. Identify xylazine-associated wounds, including common characteristics and likely contributing causes

3. Relate how to apply harm reduction principles to wound care

4. Identify how to support people with xylazine-associated wounds using basic wound care information and interventions

5. Describe wound healing concepts, goals, and strategies in the setting of substance use

6. Identify appropriate supplies and their use in xylazine associated wound care

7. Identify appropriate care as a team for individuals and communities affected by xylazine-associated wounds

PRESENTER

Rachel Neuschatz, MSN, RN, CWCN

Rachel (they/any pronouns) joined the Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (SUPHR) team in 2022. Since completing University of Illinois in Chicago's Advanced Generalist Masters program in 2016, they've worked in hospital, clinic, home, and street-based settings in Philadelphia and Chicago, most recently at Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia on a med/surg trauma unit. They learned harm reduction nursing providing queer, sexual health, and HIV care at Howard Brown Health and the Broadway Youth Center, including working on the nation's first LGBTQ-specific Sexual Harm Response Team. In 2024 they completed LaSalle University's Wound Care Certification program. At SUPHR they provide community- and street-based direct care to people with xylazine-associated wounds in partnership with community organizations, and support distribution of wound care supply kits to people with wounds and organizations that serve them. They also provide training and education to people at all levels of clinical, drug, and harm reduction knowledge in Philadelphia and beyond.

*This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Penn State College of Medicine and Center for Forensic Science, Research and Education. Penn State College of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Penn State College of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

*Once you have completed all requirements for the webinar you will have access to your certificate of completion for download. The webinar's content has been reviewed by the ABFT and ABC, and determined to be acceptable for submission to the ABFT or ABC for continuing education credit!

*Certified Recovery Specialists (CRS) who complete this training may utilize credits to meet the Pennsylvania Certification Board’s certification/re-certification training requirements. A training certificate will be provided to all attendees who complete the post-training assessment.

Click the LOGIN button below to register for the webinar: Caring for People with Xylazine-Associated Wounds: Training for Clinicians