LPN taking wound care course; skin tear question

[followyourbliss]

Hello Fellow Wound Care Nurses,

I am a LPN taking a wound care course in B.C; I am loving it! Very in depth :]

My question is this; what are you all using for skin tears? There seems to be some varying degrees of opinion on a) tegaderm, using films, and jelanet.

I would love it if you all weigh in please on a) what are you using, b) how long are you leaving it "insitu" c) facility policy.

That would be great, I know there has been a lot of change, new products, new policies re wound care products in the last 5-10 year regarding "best practice".

Thank- you in advance,

Follow Your Bliss

[rehabwoundnurse]

Impregnated gauzes work well and one thing I have had great luck with as far as keeping dressings in place on limbs (skin tears are general on arms/legs but obviously can happen anywhere), is tubifast or surgilast, any type of tubular elastic dressing retainer. I generally try not to include any frequencies in our protocols, I try to let the wound characteristics and drainage dictate dressing change frequency.[/quote']

I would love to not have to include frequency in our dressing change orders, but I was told we have to. That way orders match policies. Could be different at different types of facilities though.

[mommy.19, MSN, RN, APRN]

There absolutely must be a frequency indicated on *orders*, however I was speaking about *protocols* if such are set in place, that basically everything except the frequency should be predetermined for wounds of generally similar nature, such as skin tears to extremities, stage 2 pressure ulcers, etc. This acts a guideline, rather than an unmalleable rule for wounds which appear or at discovered at a time when the wound nurse or physician is not available to select initial dressings.

[RnfromUK]

Impregnated gauzes work well and one thing I have had great luck with as far as keeping dressings in place on limbs (skin tears are general on arms/legs but obviously can happen anywhere), is tubifast or surgilast, any type of tubular elastic dressing retainer. I generally try not to include any frequencies in our protocols, I try to let the wound characteristics and drainage dictate dressing change frequency.[/quote']

Mommy.19.... this is exactly what I used to do in England to my patients with skin flaps. So lovely to see that this simple and very effective method is being used in the USA too! Hoping to become WOC certified in the USA soon!