When would you change the dressing on a *new* PEG tube if there were no written or standing orders besides "remove sutures 7 days postop"? Would you change the dressing with or without an order or would you assess the dressing and if being clean, dry and intact wait until the 7th day to change it?
For my question, keep in mind there is no order written for a dressing change and there is no facility policy written for new PEG tube dressings. The only facility protocol is written for existing PEG sites and daily dressing changes.
also just a note on dressings. It is best not to throw on a bunch of abds on a wound that keeps bleeding. I was orienting and heard about a pt who had had a fempop bypass. He kept oozing blood. A nurse put 2 abds on site-which can hold alot of blood. Took a lot of blood to soak into the abds before they knew it was Really bleeding....better to change more often and know a wound/surgical site's status.
RedWeasel, RN
428 Posts
one of our docs wants nothing on his tubes after insertion. Nothing. Weird, but there it is...we just sop up the gunk when it presents itself....