Re: Wound dressing
1. Wash your hands BEFORE gathering supplies.
2. Gather needed supplies and exam wrappers for contamination/soiling (
leaky ceiling tiles do drip down onto supply exchange cart underneath)
Extra pairs of gloves for removing soiled dressings
3. Examine solutions for expiration date and signs contamination (
that bottle of peroxide open to air without cap past 2 days is now flat--toss)
4. Have trash bag at end of supply area to discard removed dressings---do not cross over supply area.
5. Follow wound care orders as written by doctor.
Notify doctor if no improvement in a week, calls for reassessment of treatment regimen. If doctor not listening to your nursing advice and need re-eval wound care regimen, follow chain of command: notify wound care nurse &/or nursing supervisor up to medical director if indicated.
6. Sterile technique for post op wound care in hospital/ SNF setting unless protocol dictates otherwise. Homecare: use clean technique.
7. Adequate lighting to see wound bed---even if need to grip penlight
between teeth.
8. Assess allergies and irritation to tape/wound care products. Use right size tape to decrease shearing forces on skin.
9. Emaciated or irritated skin: re-eval how much solution used with "wet to dry" ---dressings should be damp, not dripping wet. Use moisture barrier cream or skin prep to protect surrounding skin.
10. Discard old dressings into red receptacles in facilities; double bag for homecare then dispose in trach can.
11. Wash hands upon completion of procedure!
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Re: Wound dressing
