DRESSING OF WOUNDS

A dressing is an adjunct used by a person for application to a wound

to promote healing and/or prevent further harm. A dressing is designed
to be in direct contact with the wound, which makes it different from a
bandage, which is primarily used to hold a dressing in place. Some
organizations classify them as the same thing (for example, the British
Pharmacopoeia) and the terms are used interchangeably by some
people. Dressings are frequently used in first aid and nursing.

Contents
• 1 Core purposes of a
dressing
• 2 Types of dressing
• 3 Usage of dressings

• 4 References

Core purposes of a dressing

A dressing can have a number of purposes, depending on the type,
severity and position of the wound, although all purposes are focused
towards promoting recovery and preventing further harm from the
wound. Key purposes of are dressing are:

Stem bleeding - Helps to seal the wound to expedite the clotting

process

Absorb exudates - Soak up blood, plasma and other fluids exuded from
the wound, containing it in one place

Ease pain - Some dressings may have a pain relieving effect, and
others may have a placebo effect

Debrides the wound - The removal of slough and foreign objects from
the wound

Protection from infection and mechanical damage, and

Promote healing - through granulation and epithelialisation

Types of dressing
Historically, a dressing was usually a piece of material, sometimes
cloth, but the use of cobwebs, dung, leaves and honeys have also been
described. However, modern dressings include gauzes (which may be
impregnated with an agent designed to help sterility or to speed
healing), films, gels, foams, hydrocolloids, alginates, hydrogels and
polysaccharide pastes, granules and beads. Many gauze dressings
have a layer of nonstick film over the absorbent gauze to prevent the
wound from adhering to the dressing. Dressings can be impregnated
with antiseptic chemicals, as in boracic lint or where medicinal Castor
oil was used in the first surgical dressings

In the 1960s, George Winter published his controversial research on

moist healing. Previously, the accepted wisdom was that to prevent
infection of a wound, the wound should be kept as dry as possible.
Winter demonstrated that wounds which were kept moist healed faster
than those which were left exposed to the air or covered with
traditional dressings.

Various types of dressings can be used to accomplish different

objectives including:

Controlling the moisture content, so that the wound stays moist or dry,

Protecting the wound from infection,

Removing slough, and

Maintaining the optimum pH and temperature to encourage healing.

Occlusive dressings, made from substances impervious to moisture

such as plastic or latex, can be used to increase the rate of absorption
of certain topical medications into the skin.

Usage of dressings
Applying a dressing is a first aid skill, although many people undertake
the practice with no training - especially on minor wounds. Modern
dressing’s will almost all come in a prepackaged sterile wrapping, date
coded to ensure sterility. This is because it will come in to direct
contact with the wound, and sterility is required to fulfill the 'protection
from infection' aim of a dressing.

Historically, and still the case in many less developed areas and in an
emergency, dressings are often improvised as needed. This can consist
of anything, including clothing or spare material, which will fulfill some
of the basic tenets of a dressing - usually stemming bleeding and
absorbing exudates.

Applying and changing dressings is one common task in nursing.

An "ideal" wound dressing is one that is sterile, breathable, and

conducive for a moist healing environment. These will then reduce the
risk of infection, help the wound heal more quickly, and reduce
scarring.

CPR- Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation

1. CALL

Check the victim for

unresponsiveness. If there is no
response, Call 911 and return to the
victim. In most locations the
emergency dispatcher can assist you
with CPR instructions.

2. BLOW

Tilt the head back and listen for

breathing. If not breathing normally,
pinch nose and cover the mouth with
yours and blow until you see the
chest rise. Give 2 breaths. Each
breath should take 1 second.

3. PUMP

If the victim is still not breathing

normally, coughing or moving, begin
chest compressions. Push down on
the chest 11/2 to 2 inches 30 times
right between the nipples. Pump at
the rate of 100/minute, faster than
 once per second.

CONTINUE WITH 2 BREATHS AND 30 PUMPS UNTIL HELP

ARRIVES
NOTE: This ratio is the same for one-person & two-person CPR.
In two-person CPR the person pumping the chest stops while the
other gives mouth-to-mouth breathing.

CHOKING PROCEDURES

Step 1.
Determine if the person can speak
or cough.
If not, proceed to the next step.

Step 2.
Perform an abdominal thrust
(Heimlich Maneuver) repeatedly
until the foreign body is expelled.
 Step 3.
A chest thrust may be used for
markedly obese persons or in late
stages of pregnancy.

If the adult or child becomes unresponsive perform CPR.

If you see an object in the throat or mouth, remove it.

How to Do a Two Person Arm Carry

The following are two versions of a two-person arm carry that can assist
transporting a person with a leg or foot injury and cannot walk.

Steps

Version one: The hammock variation

1. Grab each other's wrists so that your arms make a giant circle.
2. Place one of the pairs of connected arms right underneath the butt of the
victim.
3. Place other pair right behind the shoulder blades. The victim should be
able to sit in this position and be carried to safety without further injury.
Version two: The interlocking wrist variation

1. Both the rescuers face each other, with their hands out.
2. Each rescuer takes their left hand and grabs their right wrist.
3. Keeping the hands in this position, each rescuer grabs the other's left wrist
with the right hand. This should provide a sturdy base upon which the victim may
sit. The victim should place his/her arms around the shoulders of each rescuer.

Tips

• These carries can help transport an injured person to safety, but must be
performed carefully, and with regard to the injured person. The whole point is to
transport them without injuring them further, so make sure that they are
comfortable as you go.
• Version one can be used for victims who may also have arm or hand
injuries because it provides more support.

Warnings

• Do not perform these carries on anyone who may have suffered a

head or spinal injury. If at all possible, do not move; but if victim must be
moved, immobilize head and make a litter to keep spine in alignment.

How to Apply Different Types of Bandages

Simple Cuts and Scratches

1. Wash the wound with water and apply a Band-Aid. Antibiotic ointment can
be used the first time it is applied, if it is bleeding.
2. Replace the Band-Aid every time you take a shower/bath, or whenever it
begins to fall off.

Second-Degree Sunburn

• Most people don't think about it, but it's pretty useful to apply a small
makeshift bandage on second-degree sunburns.
• Never apply lotion on second-degree sunburns. They need to breathe.

1. Wear white clothing over the area.

OR...

1. Take a square section of white cloth and place it over the sunburn. Hold it
down with medical tape.
 • If the sunburn has blisters (Second-degree burns may have some forming
on it) then take care of those.

Large Cuts

1. Wash the wound well, but be careful around the open area - it may be
extremely painful for the victim. Use a antibacterial ointment or liquid to stop
infection.
2. Before applying the bandage, lightly open the wound to check how deep it
is.
3. After analyzing the damage, place a budding (gauze or paper towels) and
wrap it in an roll bandage.

• If you can tell the wound is deeper than 1/2 a centimeter, or can see bone
or open veins, you should call 117.

Blisters

• There are two methods to bandage blisters. The first method is always
better.

1. Take out moleskin. It's a thick, sticky-back compound that comes in pads.
2. Fold the moleskin in half and cut a half-circle (as big as the blister.)
3. Peel off the sticky side of the moleskin and apply around the blister.
Repeat until the blister will not rub against a sandal.
4. Apply a small bandage and keep off the foot until it heals.

OR...

• If you have to do a lot of walking (as if you're hiking in the middle of

nowhere), follow the steps below.

1. Heat the tip of a needle to sterilize it.

2. Puncture the side of the blister with the needle.
3. Wash the puss out with water.
4. Apply a bandage and treat as an open wound until it heals.
Puncture Wounds

1. If the object is still embedded in the wound, do not remove it unless you
know the object is dirty. By leaving it alone, you might create a temporary
seal until medical attention comes.
2. Call117.
3. Wash the outside of the wound lightly without cutting yourself on the
object. Cutting yourself can spread disease between you and the injured
person. Keep the object as still as possible.
4. Use a gauze pad, paper towel, or other absorbent material to remove
excess blood.
5. If the victim is losing a lot of blood, try to put more pressure near the
wound. If possible, raise the injured area above the heart.

• If the object has already been removed, treat the wound as if it was a cut.
Wash the wound out and apply a small amount of antibacterial fluid. You
might not need to call 911 if the bleeding has been controlled, but you may
still want to take the victim to an emergency room.

Accidental Amputation

1. Call 117.
2. Wash both open sides of the amputation.
3. Fit the part of the body back into its correct position and layer it with gauze.
Keep the gauze down with medical tape or a loose bandage.

• Sometimes limbs may be reattached within 1-2 hours after accident.

• It is a helpful if the body part is still attached by threads. Do not completely
separate it from the rest of the body. The threads can help doctors reattach
the body part in the correct position.

Broken Limbs

1. Keep them in their current position unless they are in a dangerous area.
Evacuate them without moving the limb as much as possible.
2. Call 117.
 • For most broken limbs, you need to splint the area so it doesn't move. For
most wounds, simply using two sturdy sticks or boards on both sides and
using a roll bandage to hold it down on both sides is sufficient.
• For arm breaks, you must make a sling. Fold a square piece of fabric into a
triangle (in half) and tie it around the other shoulder, then tie a knot at the
elbow.
• For back, rib, pelvis, and collarbone breaks, don't do anything. Keep the
victim where they are, treat any open wounds, calm them down, and let the
paramedics handle it. Moving the victim could cause more damage.

Protruding Bones

• Protruding bones occur when you completely break arms or legs and the
bones puncture out of the skin.
• Do not attempt to push the bone back into place or fix any part of the
wound - this can cause more damage, and is extremely painful.

1. Call 117.
2. Clean the blood off of the bone and wound.
3. Place a gauze pad over the wound and use medical tape to hold it down
over the bone.

Head Wounds

1. Wash and place a gauze bandage over the crack or cut. # Place a wrap
bandage at the center, roll it in both directions around the head, and come
back around.
2. Tie a knot where the wound is to keep pressure on it.
3. Call 117.

• Most head wounds are serious.

• Sometimes the wound can be covered with hair. Simply find the middle of
the wound and treat normally.

Tips
• Remember to always wash any wound well. Infection is always a concern.

Warnings

• The bandages listed for serious injuries are only temporary. Make sure that
the person always receives medical attention as soon as possible.

• Using hand sanitizer is dangerous on open wounds. Do not, under any

circumstance, use hand sanitizer as a replacement for water or a bacteria-
killer.

• Shock sometimes occurs with larger wounds. Shock is when the victim's
body goes into a state where it pumps blood to the core, not to limbs or the
head. To treat for shock, lift the legs up, place cool towels on the victims'
head, and calm them down. Shock can kill a person if it is not treated.

Assignment in
NSTP
Tagle, Joy Antonette E.
BSN I-A
Mr. Ramilo V. Paralejas