Wound dressing

1. Wash your hands BEFORE gathering supplies.

2. Gather needed supplies and exam wrappers for contamination/soiling (leaky ceiling tiles do drip down onto supply exchange cart underneath)

Extra pairs of gloves for removing soiled dressings

3. Examine solutions for expiration date and signs contamination (that bottle of peroxide open to air without cap past 2 days is now flat--toss)

4. Have trash bag at end of supply area to discard removed dressings---do not cross over supply area.

5. Follow wound care orders as written by doctor.

Notify doctor if no improvement in a week, calls for reassessment of treatment regimen. If doctor not listening to your nursing advice and need re-eval wound care regimen, follow chain of command: notify wound care nurse &/or nursing supervisor up to medical director if indicated.

6. Sterile technique for post op wound care in hospital/ SNF setting unless protocol dictates otherwise. Homecare: use clean technique.

7. Adequate lighting to see wound bed---even if need to grip penlight

between teeth.

8. Assess allergies and irritation to tape/wound care products. Use right size tape to decrease shearing forces on skin.

9. Emaciated or irritated skin: re-eval how much solution used with "wet to dry" ---dressings should be damp, not dripping wet. Use moisture barrier cream or skin prep to protect surrounding skin.

10. Discard old dressings into red receptacles in facilities; double bag for homecare then dispose in trach can.

11. Wash hands upon completion of procedure!

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