Dressing of Septic Wound

The purpose is to
• Absorb materials being discharge from the wound
• Apply pressure to the area
• Apply local medication
• Prevent pain, swelling and injury

Equipment
• Sterile galipot
• Sterile kidney dish
• Sterile gauze
• Sterile forceps 3
• Sterile test tube or slide
• Sterile cotton- tipped application
• Sterile pair of gloves, if needed, in case of gas gangrene rabies etc.
• Rubber sheet and its cover
• Local medication if ordered
• Spatula
• Receiver with strong disinfectant to immerse used instrument
• Probe and director if required
• Scissors
• Benzene or ether
• Bandages or adhesive tape
• Bucket to put in soiled dressing

Procedure
Explain procedure to the patient
• Clean trolley o tray and assemble sterile equipment on one side and surgically clean items on the other side. Make sure the tray or trolley is covered.
• Drape patient and position comfortably.
• Place rubber sheet and its cover under the affected part
• First remove the outer layer of the dressing
• Wear gloves if necessary. Use, forceps to remove the inner layer of the dressing smoothly and discard there for caps.
• Observe wound and check if there is drainage rubber or tube.
• Take specimen for culture or slide if ordered (Do not cleanse wound with antiseptic before you obtain the specimen.)
• Start cleaning wound from the cleanest part of the wound to the most contaminated part using antiseptic solution.
• ( H2O2 3% is commonly used for septic wound). Discard cotton ball used for cleaning after each stroke over the wound.
• Cleanse the skin around the wound to remove the plaster gum with benzene or ether
• Use cotton balls for drying the skin around the wound properly
• Dress the wound and make sure that the wound is covered completely
• Fix dressing in place with adhesive tape or bandages
• Leave patient comfortable and tidy
• Cleanse and return equipment to its proper places
• Discard soiled dressings properly to prevent cross infection in the ward.

N.B.
• If sterile forceps are not available, use sterile gloves
• Immerse used forceps, scissors and other instrument in strong antiseptic solution before cleansing and discard soiled dressing properly.
• In a big ward it is best to give priorities to clean wounds and then to septic wounds, when changing dressings, as this night lessen the risk of cross infection.
• Consideration should be given to provide privacy for the patient while dressing the wound.
• Wounds should not be too tightly packed in effort to absorb discharge as this may delay healing.