Wounds and Dressings

Wounds and dressings

Remember that you are treating the whole patient.

Prioritise, keep calm, reassure, sit down, get help, be confident etc.

Wounds need cleaning, do not use cotton wool dressing these go directly onto the wound.

Dressings help to:-

  • Control bleeding,
  • Prevent infection absorb discharge,
  • Prevent further injury,

If a wound is bleeding the dressing(s) must be applied with pressure and elevation.

To prevent infection the dressings must completely cover the wound.

Dressings might have a shiny side or a wet medicated side that goes directly onto the cleaned wound.

(Cotton wool: do not put this onto a wound —it sticks and leaves behind lots of fibres).

The dressing must be kept in place. Make sure that the patient is not allergic to your tape.

Modern, more expensive dressings come as a medicated patch (of the appropriate size) and they are covered and surrounded by sticky tape.

Cling film makes a very effective dressing to cover against infection landing on a wound.

Cling film makes an excellent burns dressing.

A clean new j-cloth makes a good emergency dressing.

Soft weak elastic bandages can help to hold dressings in place but – beware check the circulation. Immediately and after 10 minutes, and continue.

75 Years of PYRA

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