Medigrip tips please??

[Emm_RN, ASN, BSN, MSN]

Hi all,

I work in home health and have been a nurse for just around four years. The other day I had a few patients who had diabetic ulcers needing treated and they both had medigrips ordered to place over their dressings.

This is more of a, 'is there an easier way to do this' question. They had both been getting calcium alginate to their wounds, wrap the leg with kerlix, then apply the medigrips. I struggled to get those darn grips on without bunching up the kerlix and messing up the entire dressing! Not to mention being panicked about having everything straightened out so they don't have more ulcers form.

Does anyone know of an easy way to apply medigrips over a bulky dressing that doesn't involve the nurse sweating and the patient at risk for more skin breakdown?

Thanks!

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I had to do this for myself for several months after I sustained a severe laceration to my right lower leg in a fall at Disney World on Christmas night 2017 (long story). It got infected, and I had to have a sizable patch of necrotic tissue removed which made the wound deeper. I was taught to use bacitracin ointment, cover the wound with Xeroform, wrap the leg with Kerlix and put the medigrips over the whole thing. I just put them on like TED hose, gathering the material at the bottom before stretching it over my foot, ankle and leg. I know from experience that it's harder doing it on someone else though. Maybe someone else has a better idea.

[CharleeFoxtrot, BSN, RN]

I could show someone this easier than writing about it, but I can try. What you don't want to do is yank it up over the dressing as the prior poster said this bunches up the kerlix. If you treat it like pantyhose, scrunching the medigrips together between your two hands, thumbs in the hole. What I mean is if you look down, your palm and fingers would be on the outside of the medigrip tube and your thumbs on the inside. Your fingers hold the bulk of the dressing, your thumbs control the tension.

Place the bottom of the tube where you want it on the foot, the bulk of the dressing is still in your hands. As you move up the leg, you move your hands apart to open the tube up. Loosen your fingers to help "walk" the medigrip up the leg without catching the kerlix beneath it.

This might help

Wikihow on putting on pantyhose.

[Emm_RN, ASN, BSN, MSN]

Thank you both for your input! I can actually completely picture the pantyhose trick and it makes perfect sense so I’ll give it a try! Thank you!