Dressings

[WG1]

Hello everyone, I am on placement on a surgical ward and I find myself being sent for a lot of dressings etc. Now I am only a first year (2nd placement) and I have no knowledge of dressings etc. Closest I have ever been to a dressing before is a plaster or a bandage. I was just wondering if there is anywhere I can learn about dressings etc and/or tissue viability. I am beginning to feel really dumb because I have to keep asking exactly what it is I am looking for. Thank you for any advice.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

i don't know that this will be a great deal of help to you since every thing that is pictured in the links of the website below are dressings that are used in the united states. but it should give you an idea.

http://teach.lanecc.edu/nursingskills/photoatlas/photoindex.htm

this is the home page that the above site came from

http://teach.lanecc.edu/nursingskills/

you can find links to other procedures there including some dressing change procedures

you can also see videos of various nursing procedures at this site

http://www.cotc.edu/professional/streaming/archive/nursing.htm

you need a realone player to see the videos. there are several dressing change videos there as well as many other nursing procedures.

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

Is there a procedure manual on the floor that you work on? The charge nurse should be understanding and encourage you to ask questions since you are still in the learning phase. Sometimes you can look at how the old dressing is applied and what was used, to assist you in knowing what to use (providing it was done correctly the first time). I searched alittle on the internet to find you some more good sites, but was unsuccessful. I will look again and see what I can find.