Wound Healing, Surgical Drains, and Core Measures

Flashcards covering factors affecting wound healing, surgical drain management, dressing change protocols, and clinical core measures.

Chlorhexidine gluconate

An antimicrobial solution used for preoperative showers and wipes to achieve skin antisepsis.

Hemorrhage

The accumulation of blood that creates dead spaces and dead cells, serving as a growth medium for organisms and hindering wound healing.

Hypovolemia

Insufficient blood volume that leads to vasoconstriction and reduced availability of oxygen and nutrients for tissue repair.

Hypothermia

A condition that causes poor tissue oxygenation and reduced perfusion, negatively affecting the wound healing process.

Edema

The accumulation of fluid that reduces blood supply by exerting increased interstitial pressure on blood vessels.

Corticosteroids

Medications that may mask the presence of infection by impairing the normal inflammatory response.

Anticoagulants

Medications that may cause hemorrhage, potentially affecting the surgical site and wound approximation.

Penrose drain

A type of open surgical drain that allows fluids to escape from the peri-incisional area directly into the dressings.

Jackson-Pratt and Hemovac drains

Portable wound suction devices (closed systems) that use gentle, constant suction to enhance fluid drainage and collapse skin flaps.

Dead space

An area where fluids could accumulate and serve as a culture medium for bacteria; it is removed by drainage systems to allow skin flaps to collapse against underlying tissue.

Wound vacuum-assisted closure (VAC)

A device using a foam dressing and negative pressure suction to remove debris while promoting granulation tissue growth and blood flow.

Granulation tissue

New tissue that forms during the healing of an open wound, the growth of which is encouraged by wound VAC devices.

Hemostasis

The cessation of bleeding, which can be promoted by the application of a pressure dressing.

Skin maceration

The softening and breaking down of skin due to prolonged exposure to moisture, often prevented by using porous adhesive tapes.

Shear injury

Skin damage, such as denuded areas or blisters, caused by stretching bandages or inflexible tape when a wound becomes edematous.

Core measures

Standardized care or treatment standards identified by CMS and the Joint Commission evidenced to decrease complications and improve patient outcomes.

Accreditation 360 initiative

A 2025 program by the Joint Commission designed to reduce administrative burden and enhance patient safety using an outcome-based approach.

ORYX (Outcome Research Yields Excellence)

The Joint Commission's performance measurement and reporting program.

eCQMs (Electronic Clinical Quality Measures)

Clinical quality measures that are electronically abstracted from a patient's electronic health record rather than manually collected.

Standard precautions

Safety protocols that require nurses to perform hand hygiene and wear disposable gloves to prevent the transmission of pathogenic organisms during dressing changes.