Basic Care & Comfort: Wound Care

For what reason are Montgomery straps used?

Permit you to remove and replace dressing w/out using tape (protects the skin).

Sutures in general are removed by the _____ day.

7th

Leaving a wound open to air decreases infection by eliminating what 3 environmental conditions?

Dark, warm, moist

To remove tape always pull (toward/away) from the wound.

Toward (this way you don’t put pressure /pull on the suture line).

Define contusion.

Bruise (interal)

Define debridement.

Removal of necrotic tissue from a wound.

What is the purpose of a wound a drain?

Remove secretions from the area so healing occurs.

To prevent germs from getting into or out of a wound you should use what type of dressing?

An occlusive dressing

What solution is put onto the skin to protect it from the irritating effects of the tape?

Tincture of benzoin

With what is a wound closed in 1st intention?

Sutures or steri-strips, staples

What is another name for 2nd intention?

Granulation

When swabbing an incision, you should start at the incision or 1 inch away from the incision?

Start at the incision and move outward.

After you remove soiled dressings and before you put on the sterile dressing you must…

Wash your hands and put on sterile gloves.

What is meant by the phrase “advance the drain 1 inch”?

You pull the drain out 1 inch.

After advancing a Penrose drain you (should/ should not) cut off the excess drain?

Should

When a dressing is saturated, germs can enter the wound from the outside (T/F)?

True, by a process called capillary action.

When is a bad time to change dressing?

Mealtime

Define laceration.

Cut