Changing Wound Dressings
- Check order for dressing change
- How often dressing is to be changed
- Type of dressing to apply
- Cleansing agents
- Assess patient need for dressing change and pain status
- Is dressing intact?
- What supplies will you need to change the dressing?
- Has the patient been medicated for pain?
- Gather needed suplies for the type of wound.
- Wash hands
- Don procedure gloves and remove old dressing
- Assess wound and drainage
- Measure the wound in centimeters · Length (head to toe) X width (side to side) X depth
- Indicate deepest point using clock method (e.g. 6:00 5 cm)
- Depth cannot be accurately measured in the presence of necrotic tissue
- Measure depth and tunneling with a cotton swab
- Sketch wound in notes
- Assess phase of wound healing
- Reaction
- Regeneration
- Remodeling
- Wound location, color of wound bed, condition of wound margins, integrity of surrounding skin
- S/S infection
- Drainage: amount, color, consistency, odor
- Measure the wound in centimeters · Length (head to toe) X width (side to side) X depth
- Set up sterile field and supplies; think over what steps you will be doing before donning your sterile gloves.
- Cleanse wound if needed
- Apply sterile dressing
- Chart dressing change
Abdominal Wound | Thigh Wound | |
Hand Wound | Foot Wound |