ABOUT WOUND CARE
What is Wound Care?
Wound care is the process of treating a wound through the various stages of the healing process. Wound care supplies including dressings, bandages, cleansers, skin adhesives, sutures, staples, stitches, and wound drainage products are some of the essential items required in a comprehensive treatment plan.
Wound Classification
Open Wounds - External damage to the skin, often with internal tissue exposure, that commonly causes bleeding and scarring. Many types of wound care products and supplies are available to treat open wounds.
Closed Wounds - Also known as internal wounds, this type of injury occurs without exposing underlying tissue; like hematomas and contusions. These types of wounds are not typically treated topically.
Acute Wounds - Wounds that heal in a predictable amount of time without complications.
Chronic Wounds - Wounds that are slow to heal often with complications requiring ongoing treatment.
COMMON TYPES OF OPEN WOUNDS
Lacerations
Tearing of the skin in an irregular manner by a sharp object, like knives or glass, or as a result of blunt trauma. Commonly referred to as a cut, these wounds can vary in severity depending on the depth and location of the injury.
Puncture Wounds
Small round wounds caused by sharp objects like nails, animal bites, or tacks that can be quite deep and painful. To avoid infection, immediate treatment is recommended.
Burns
Damage to the skin or other human tissue caused by fire or excessive heat, sun exposure, chemicals, electricity, radiation, etc. Severity of burn wounds are classified by 1st through 4th degree based on the depth and size of the injury.
Ulcers
Ulcers are open wounds that occur on the surface of the skin as a result of poor circulation, constant pressure, or injury. Common skin ulcers include bedsores and diabetic foot ulcers. Often long-healing, ulcers can become chronic in nature if left untreated.
Abrasions
Usually a minor injury, abrasions occur when the skin is grazed or rubbed off an area of the body when in contact with a rough surface. Common abrasions include brush burns and scrapes and are easily cared for at home.
HOW DO WOUNDS HEAL?
Although the healing process can be interrupted by setbacks caused by external or internal conditions, wounds progress through 4 basic phases in a dependably linear order. The process begins with the Hemostasis phase, followed by the Inflammation, Proliferative, and Remodeling phases. In the final stage, also known as Maturation, the skin's collagen changes to its final form and the wound closes.
Proper care with quality wound care products can expedite the process by protecting it from further injury and infection. When a wound does not continue to progress through these four stages of healing, it is classified as chronic and will require additional medical intervention. Factors that may result in chronic wounds typically involve patients' pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, metabolic deficiencies, and venous disease. Infection can also lead to a halt in the healing process, and in turn, a chronic wound classification.
ESSENTIAL OPEN WOUND CARE SUPPLIES
Wound dressings are the first layer of protection between a cut, abrasion, burn, ulceration, or surgical incision and medical tapes, bandages, or wraps. Products like gauze, hydrogel, and sterile pads offer an effective solution to prevent infection, control excessive bleeding, and promote healing.
Medical bandages maximize healing time and minimize risk of infection or further injury. They range in style from traditional adhesive bandages used to treat minor injuries like cuts, scrapes or blisters to elastic wraps or sports bandages commonly used to stabilize sprains, strains and joints.
Wound drainage naturally occurs during the healing process and its color, thickness, clarity and odor can often tell clinicians how well a wound is healing; Wound drainage devices and irrigation supplies are sometimes necessary to control the amount of seepage and avoid infection.
Adhesive remover products are designed to dissolve the sticky residue left behind by medical tape, ostomy pouches, wound dressings, skin protectors, and any other product that adheres to a patient’s skin.
Although suture kits and removal tools are necessities in emergency medical care, skin staplers also play an important role in managing a laceration or cut quickly and efficiently. Skin closure strips and adhesives are also commonly used in wound management.
Keeping open wounds like lacerations or burns, properly clean is a critical first step in the healing process; wound cleansing sprays, hydrogen peroxide, saline solution, alcohol pads, and skin barrier wipes help promote efficient healing and prevent infection.
BURN CARE ESSENTIALS
The basic steps to care for minor burns include immediately cooling and cleaning the wound with cool, not cold, water. Leave any formed blisters intact to avoid contamination. Apply a thin layer of ointment like aloe vera, petroleum jelly, or cocoa butter to keep skin from drying out. To maintain a clean healing site and protect it from further injury, wrap with a gauze wound dressing. For more serious burns, many experts recommend using silver-infused wound products and dressings. Finally, soothe pain with over-the-counter pain relievers. Please note, minor burns may take up to 3 weeks to heal, in which time you may experience itching; avoid scratching. For wounds affecting more than the surface layer of skin, seek medical attention immediately.
FIRST AID KIT ESSENTIALS
Whether collecting medical supplies for a portable, professional or home-based first aid kit, the basic products remain the same. The size of the kit and the quantity of each product to have on hand, however, may vary depending on the number of people it must serve in an emergency situation. Of course, all-inclusive first aid kits are available to purchase, but as the contents are used or expire they will need to be replaced to ensure you are always prepared.
The Red Cross recommends that a family of four include the following in a home first aid kit:
- 2 - 5 x 9 in. absorbent compress dressings
- 25 adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
- 1 roll of adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
- 5 antibiotic ointment packets (approximately 1 gram)
- 5 antiseptic wipe packets
- 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)
- 1 emergency blanket
- 1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
- 1 instant cold compress
- 2 pairs of non-latex exam gloves, size large
- 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets (approximately 1 gram each)
- 1 - 3 in. gauze roll bandage
- 1 elastic bandage (4 inches wide)
- 5 - 3 in. x 3 in. sterile gauze pads
- 5 - 4 in. x 4 in. sterile gauze pads
- Oral thermometer (non-mercury/nonglass)
- 2 triangular bandages
- Tweezers
- Emergency First Aid guide
