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Discussion

Sterile dressing and clean technique

When changing a wound dressing, I know we are suppose to remove the soiled dressing using a clean technique(non sterile gloves) thne sterile technique to put on clean dressing..My question is

1) after u remove the soiled dressing do u wash ur hands?

2) if u turn ur back to wash hands , isnt the sterile field for new dressing comtaminated>?

so say just remove gloves from soiled dreesiing change and put on sterile gloves since turning back against a sterile field is considered wrong.....help!

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I was taught to throw away gloves and dressing

(while your sterile field is still in your view)

You don't have to be staring directly at it, but you can still see it

KWIM?

then put on your sterile gloves and do you dressing.

Why do you have your sterile field set-up already?

Remove the old dressing, wash your hands (or have handrub nearby), then open your packages and set-up your sterile field. Proceed with applying new dressing.

If you were taught to have everything open first, just move a trashcan between you and the bed, right in front of your field. Grab a big glob of handrub and put it on a papertowel closeby (both of these done as part of set-up). This way you have everything within reach and don't have to turn your back on your field.

Hope this helps.

We were taught to wash your hands after removing the medical asepsis gloves set up your sterile field and then glove using your sterile gloves.:wink2:

  • Experts

1. Yes, after you remove the dressing, deglove and wash hands, even if the next part of the dressing change isn't going to be sterile.

2. Yes, once you turn your back on the sterile field, it's contaminated.

Remove dressing first, wash hands, then set the sterile field up.

  • Author

thanks y'all.....

  • Experts

you should have washed your hands before putting on the nonsterile gloves to remove the old dressing. once you remove the old dressing, you remove the nonsterile gloves and proceed to open the sterile dressing materials and then don the sterile gloves. you do not wash your hands again. therefore, there is no reason to turn your back on the sterile field.

you can search for nursing procedures on this sticky thread in the nursing student assistance forum:

i just got done looking at three websites listed there because i thought there was a video of how to do a sterile dressing change. the site i though it was on did not have it, but that doesn't mean a site with it doesn't exist. i also checked the one online procedure manual that we have a link to and the only dressing changes listed on there are for burns so i didn't look at them. if you are going to clinicals at a hospital, you should take some time to look up the procedure for a sterile dressing change in the facility procedure manual and get a copy of it the next time you are there to clear this up for you.

here is one sterile dressing change procedure i did find doing a quick internet search:

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