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.