Simple dressingsHLTAIN301B: Assist nursing team in an acute care environment.
What is a wound?
• Any break in the skin or mucous membrane which may be the result of a surgical incision, an injury, infection or a disease process that leads to skin breakdown
• Activity: In groups discuss what your role is in providing wound management.
• Glossary of Terminology
Purpose of wound care
• Promote healing• Prevents infection• Involves the cleaning of the wound with an appropriate
solution & covering with an appropriate dressing product• A wound dressing should protect the wound, improve healing
& reduce pain• What solutions and what technique?
Principles of wound care
• Your involvement in wound care will depend entirely on the facility policies & procedures
• Acute versus Chronic
Stages of wound healing
• Inflammation
• Proliferation
• Maturation
Factors influencing wound healing
• Infection• Foreign bodies• Age• Nutritional status• Location of wound• Drugs• General health
Types of dressings
• Film membranes• Foams• Hydrogels• Hydrocolloids• Aglinate• Miscellaneous e.g. combine
• Show products.
Points to consider
• Assess the wound regularly• Observe size, shape, colour of the wound• Keep the wound area clean• View the wound chart• Encourage a healthy diet• Remain professional, particularly if the wound has an
unpleasant odour or look
Documentation
• Wound care charts
• Example
Clinical skills:- Hand washing Aseptic techniqueDressing technique
Aseptic techniqueWound care
How can pathogens introduce infection to the patient?
Through contact with:
• Environment • Personnel • Equipment
How can this be prevented?
• Environment Personnel Equipment
With these types of measures in place, the chain of infection is broken = limiting the risk
Aseptic technique
A dressing change at the bedside, though in a much less controlled environment than the operating room, will still involve: • Thorough hand washing• Use of PPE• Creation of a sterile field • Opening and introducing packages and fluids in
such a way as to avoid contamination • Constant avoidance of contact with nonsterile
items.
Aseptic technique – Basic guidelines
Aseptic technique – basic guidelines
When carrying out aseptic technique you need to do What?
Aseptic technique – basic guidelines
• Prepare dressing trolley (clean it!)• Open sterile packs
carefully to prevent contamination of contents
Aseptic technique – basic guidelines
• Use only sterile items to contact the site.• Ensure that sterile items
do not come into contact with non-sterile items during the actual procedure being performed
Aseptic technique – basic guidelines
• Discard any waste contaminated with blood or other body fluids into clinical waste bags or sharps containers.
• Discard protective clothing.• Wash your hands after the procedure.
Basic Dressing Technique / Procedure
Equipment
• Dressing pack• Additional supplies e.g. extra gauzes, scissors etc• Cleaning solution. (N/Saline)• A waterproof bag for disposal of rubbish• Tape• Blue sheets
Dressing technique - Intervention
Prepare the patient. How? • Explain procedure/intentions• Provide privacy• Assist the patient to get into a comfortable position • With non-sterile gloves, remove / loosen the outer soiled dressing.