What it means
Wound care starts with looking at the wound: its size, depth, wound bed, edges, drainage and the skin around it. The wound is cleaned, usually with normal saline, from the cleanest area outward; dead tissue may be removed (debridement); and a dressingDRES-ingA covering placed on a wound to protect it and help it heal.Full entry is chosen to suit the wound. Good nutrition, especially protein, and good blood flow help a wound heal.
For the nurse
Measure the wound in centimeters (length, width and depth) and compare with earlier notes. Give pain medicine before a painful dressing change, and report signs of infection: spreading redness, warmth, swelling, pus, a bad smell or fever.
At a glance
| Spanish | cuidado de heridas |
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Related terms
laceration
A cut or tear in the skin or other tissue, often with jagged edges.
suture
A stitch, or the thread used to stitch, that holds the edges of a wound or incision together.
dressing
A covering placed on a wound to protect it and help it heal.
eschar
Thick, dry, dark dead tissue that covers part or all of a wound.
granulation tissue
New, moist, red tissue that fills a healing wound from the bottom up.