Wound Care

Question 1

What types of supplies would you need for a wound care dressing change?

Answer 1

• Gloves (Clean and Sterile)
• Dressing Materials (if no wound dressing kit, get two 4x4 gauze packs, and one abdominal pad)
• Sterile saline
• Measuring device (Q-tip, ruler)
• Forceps/Q-tip
• Tape
• Scissors

Question 2

What are the 3 dimensions that you should measure for a wound?

Answer 2

• Length
• Width
• Depth

Question 3

When assessing a wound bed, what are you inspecting for?

Answer 3

• Color
• Odor
• Exudate or drainage
• Presence of sinus tracts or tunneling
• Presence of granulation tissue

Question 4

Prior to dressing change, it is important to assess the pt’s pain level and administer analgesia _____ minutes beforehand.

Answer 4

30-45

Question 5

What allergies should you assess for prior to performing a dressing change?

Answer 5

• Latex
• Adhesive
• Iodine

Question 6

What patient education regarding wound car, would you provide?

Answer 6

• Practice good hygiene
• Ask for analgesia before the pain becomes unbearable
• Know s/s of infection and when to notify HCP

Question 7

Other than pain assessment (before and after) and date and time dressing change was performed, what other documentation should you include?

Answer 7

• Why you changed the dressing (saturated, not intact?, per facility policy)
• Assessment of dressing and wound location
• Color, odor, exudate/drainage of wound
• Size of wound, presence of tunneling or sinus tracts, and approximation

Question 8

If there is a drain present along with the wound, you should assess the drain insertion for _____ and _____.

Answer 8

Erythema; edema

Question 9

What is the purpose of fluffing the 4x4 gauze in a wet-to-damp dressing change?

Answer 9

To increase the surface area for contact with the wound

Question 10

Describes the steps that you would take when removing an old wound dressing?

Answer 10

• Perform hand hygiene
• Don clean gloves
• Loosen the tape on the old dressing by gently pulling it from each side towards the wound
• Remove the old dressing and packing material from inside of wound into the biohazard bin

Question 11

What is the purpose of using an abdominal pad in addition to the 4x4s gauzes ?

Answer 11

• Help provide extra pressure to wound to slow drainage
• Help seal wound area and keep moisture from seeping out

Question 12

What side of the abdominal pad should be facing the wound?

Answer 12

The plain, white side faces the wound and the side with the blue line (radiopaque) facing outwards/upwards.

Question 13

Why is it important for the person who performed the dressing change to write the date, time and initials on the edge of the dressing?

Answer 13

To inform everyone who is caring for the patient, who performed the dressing change and when.