Lesson 1Key history parts: high blood sugar, ulcer length, past ulcers or limb losses, body symptomsLearners will spot main history parts for suspected diabetic foot infection, including ulcer start, past wounds or limb losses, body symptoms, blood sugar control, and recent antibiotics, to gauge severity and guide urgent checks in Zimbabwe.
Describing ulcer start and lengthPast ulcers, limb losses, and operationsRecent injury, shoes, and pressure historyBody symptoms and sepsis warningsMedicine, antibiotic, and allergy reviewLesson 2First 24 hours in-hospital handling: starting antibiotics, culture method, offloading plans, dressing picks, blood sugar control teamworkLearners will plan the first 24 hours of in-hospital care, covering starting antibiotic choice, right culture methods, urgent offloading, dressing picks, pain control, and blood sugar management teamwork with the inpatient team in Zimbabwe.
Risk-based starting antibiotic choiceGetting deep tissue and bone culturesImmediate offloading and bed rest ordersPicking initial dressings and topical careCoordinating insulin and blood sugar controlLesson 3Lab and imaging: full blood count, CRP, blood cultures, HbA1c, simple x-rays, MRI needs and useThis part explains right lab and imaging checks, including full blood count, CRP, ESR, blood cultures, HbA1c, simple x-rays, and MRI, CT, or ultrasound needs to spot bone infection, abscess, and gas in soft tissues in Zimbabwe.
Baseline swelling and sepsis labsRole of HbA1c and body markersSimple x-rays and usual findingsMRI needs for bone infectionWhen to use CT or ultrasound imagingLesson 4How diabetic foot infection and nerve damage ulcers formThis part reviews the ways nerve damage ulcers and infection happen in diabetes, linking high blood sugar, nerve damage, poor blood flow, and weak immunity to patterns that guide risk grouping and treatment choices in Zimbabwe.
Effect of long high blood sugar on tissuesNerve damage and loss of protectionSmall and large blood vessel poor flowImmune weakness and infection riskBiofilm in long-term foot woundsLesson 5Teamwork with hormone, infection, blood vessel surgery, and wound care teamsLearners will learn how to team up with hormone, infection, blood vessel surgery, and wound care teams, defining roles, referral triggers, and talking strategies to improve results and cut problems in Zimbabwean hospitals.
When to call hormone servicesConsulting infection expertsReferral rules for blood vessel surgeryWorking with wound care and podiatryOrganised team case reviewsLesson 6Focused foot and lower-limb check: probe-to-bone, depth, sinus paths, nerve test (10g filament), outer pulsesThis part details a planned foot and lower-limb check, including looking, feeling, probe-to-bone test, depth and sinus path check, nerve screening with 10g filament, and blood vessel check with foot pulses in Zimbabwe.
Planned visual check of the footProbe-to-bone method and meaningMeasuring wound depth and sinus paths10g filament nerve testingFeeling and grading foot pulsesLesson 7Discharge planning: outpatient wound care, offloading tools, shoe prescription, blood sugar follow-upLearners will plan safe discharge for diabetic foot infection patients, including outpatient wound care, offloading tools, shoe prescriptions, blood sugar follow-up, teaching on warning signs, and rules for early return in Zimbabwe.
Checking readiness and safety for dischargeCoordinating outpatient wound care visitsPrescribing offloading tools and shoesScheduling diabetes and blood sugar follow-upPatient teaching on preventing repeatLesson 8Wound grouping systems and severity scores (IDSA, IWGDF, University of Texas)Learners will compare main wound grouping and severity score systems, including IDSA, IWGDF, and University of Texas, and use them to group risk, standardise recording, and guide care level and treatment strength in Zimbabwe.
IDSA infection severity groupsIWGDF risk and infection gradingUniversity of Texas wound stagingLinking scores to treatment pathsUsing scores for talking and checksLesson 9Rules and timing for surgical cleaning or limb loss and around-operation thoughtsThis part outlines rules and timing for surgical cleaning or limb loss, including signs, urgency levels, around-operation improvement, anaesthesia thoughts, and after-operation limb saving and rehab planning in Zimbabwe.
Signs for urgent surgical cleaningRules for small versus big limb lossBefore-operation risk check and improvementAntibiotic timing around the operationAfter-operation wound and limb saving plansLesson 10Wound care rules, germ-fighting wise use, repeated checks and recordingThis part shows standard wound care rules, dressing choice, cleaning intervals, germ-fighting wise use principles, and ways for repeated checks, photos, and recording to watch healing and guide changes in Zimbabwe.
Standard bedside wound checkChoosing dressings by fluid and depthFrequency and ways of cleaningAntibiotic reduction and lengthRepeated photos and health record recording
