Dressing wounds is necessary for them to heal properly.
There is almost no adult in the world who has not healed a wound on the body at least once in his life. These are physical damages in the form of scratches, lacerations and cuts, which occur under various external influences. Some are the result of various injuries, others of surgical procedures. Childbirth, ie. episiotomy or caesarean section are the cause of some wounds, while chronic ones are caused by prolonged lying down, ie as a consequence of pressure ulcers.
Wounds can be of different types – surgical and non-surgical, acute and chronic, deep and shallow. Depending on the type, as well as the places where they are located, tailored care and treatment is carried out, in which adequate wound dressing plays a key role.
Wound dressing at home is done on the doctor’s order
Just as giving infusions and giving injections at home is done exclusively on the doctor’s order, so wound dressing is done only on the basis of prescribed therapy by a doctor.
Although it seems very simple to many, dressing wounds, in fact, requires a complex approach of a doctor, nurse and laboratory assistant.
Depending on the type of wound, the place where it is located, and even the type of dressing that is applied, the doctor determines the frequency of dressing. This is usually done every day or every few days.
The nurse has the task not only to bandage the wound properly, but also to monitor the recovery and react in a timely manner if there is a possible deterioration of the wound, ie. in case of changes in the appearance of the wound, the appearance of pus or bleeding. In this way, infections and other serious complications that can endanger the whole organism are avoided.
No wound should be neglected, no matter how small and superficial
The goal of treating any wound is to completely heal the injured skin, without scars or with as few scars as possible.
The wound dressing process involves disinfection and the use of sterile gauze and bandages. However, in chronic wounds, such as decubitus wounds, the use of additional auxiliary material is necessary. Since these wounds heal very slowly, because the pressure on the parts of the body where they originated is increased due to lying down, the therapy must accelerate this process. For that purpose, special dressings are used, which serve for more efficient healing, as well as treating the wound with an appropriate cream, according to the doctor’s prescription.
Why is wound dressing best done at home?
Many patients point out the possibility of receiving wound treatment in their own home as one of the most important advantages of personal home care.
Keep in mind that many were performed surgically, where the postoperative course requires the patient to rest, so going to the clinic and waiting in long lines can further impair poor health. Wound dressing at home is the only possible therapy for the immobile, as well as patients who need palliative care.
The home care nurse has experience in recognizing if the wound does not heal as it should, and inform the doctor in time, who will order the laboratory assistant to take a swab to discover the cause of the problem. Also, the nurse knows how the sutures should stand and when it is time to take them off.