We owe a great deal to the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, and as nurses we should always strive to further her work and that of other eminent practitioners. However, over the last few decades, approaches to nursing have moved away from the nurse doing 100% of the patient’s care, to patients being involved in their own treatment, and gaining increased independence and quality of life. By forging ahead in the development of modern techniques to improve patient care and working strategies of the nursing profession, we see improvements in terms of workload, staffing and budgets. This article looks back at the public’s perception of nurses, and how nursing roles have changed over time. It also considers wound care, a key component of the district nurse’s role, looking at how much progress has been made in the manufacture and use of compression therapy: from using multilayer bandaging to accurate, measurable and instantly adjustable compression wrap systems. By harnessing new therapies and techniques, healthcare professionals can both positively impact the lives of patients and improve their own working days.