dressings

[wo466209]

HI

l am working at a burns center in the uk and was wondering how others apply dressings ? I was specifically interested in types of dressings used over new grafts under neck / chest area on children ? Its a typically award area and being where it is keeping it clean is always a challenge ? Thanks Karen

[oblina]

i work in an adult burn center on the step down side, but in the ICU and on the floor they use either bacitracin/xeroform or wound vacs. to secure the dressings over the chest area, they use large burn dressings with a hole cut in the side like a t-shirt, then make holes in the sides of it like a corset to wrap around the patient and secure with twill (or ties from isolation gowns). we also use a lot of spandagrip for more mobile patients.

[LGhumanRN]

our docs like specials (sheet gauze) soaked in 5% sulfamylon sol'n or gentamycin/polymyxin solution on new grafts below the neck (rewet q6-8 hours). on the neck we do xero/baci or baci/fine mesh and everything is secured with band netting, changed daily. our hydrotherapy techs and RNs take great pride in our "burn fashion" abilities

we make band net shirts, sleeves, pants, face masks (like balaclavas), hats. also the benefit of using specials is that they are thick enough that we can use skin staples to attach pieces together without actually stapling to the patients' skin. this makes the coverings durable and flexible enough for pts to still practice mobility.