The selection of an appropriate dressing is an integral component of proper wound care and is not always made according to the appearance of the dressing. The type of wound, size, depth, condition of the tissues, condition of the surrounding skin and the volume of fluid produced should be taken into account when considering the wound. The one factor that is important is the exudation of wounds. Knowing how much fluid a wound will discharge and how it changes with time will help nurses and health-care professionals choose the appropriate dressing for the patient. The appropriate dressings can also help facilitate consistent and effective wound care for healthcare professionals at hospitals, nursing homes, community healthcare facilities and home nursing.

What is Wound Exudate?

Wound exudate is the fluid which is released from the wound that is produced by the natural reaction of the body to injury and healing. Some patients have more and different types of it, and at different phases of healing. Some wounds have little fluid coming from them and other wounds have more. The quantity might additionally alter as the wound heals. This is the reason why a dressing cannot always be used for the time of healing. On-going assessment is important as the needs of the wound may change. A nurse’s observation of the condition of the wound helps to decide if the dressings are still suitable.

Why is there any need for the quantity of fluid?

Every type of dressing can have a different ability to control moisture. A dressing that would be appropriate for a wound that secretes a little may not be appropriate for one that secretes a lot. If a dressing wicks up too fast, it can end up being saturated and the dressing may need to be changed sooner than anticipated. This may add to the frequency of dressing changes and causes added inconvenience to the patient and health worker.

But it might not be suitable to use a very absorbent dressing if the wound has very little fluid coming out of it. The objective is not only to select the most absorbent dressing but to pick a product that is suitable for the state of the wound at the time.

Does More Absorption Necessarily mean a Better Dressing?

No. A highly absorbent dressing is not necessarily the most appropriate choice for any wound. When a wound is oozing blood or other fluids, it might seem logical to use the most absorbent. But the dressing should still be suitable for the wound. If a wound is not weeping much, a particular approach is needed, and an unnecessarily absorbent product won’t have the properties needed during that healing phase.

Healthcare practitioners should take the big picture into account. Dressing selection may be affected by wound type, wound condition, fluid levels, size, depth, and surrounding skin and treatment goals.

For what reasons should fluid levels be re-evaluated during a change of dressing?

Wound care is an ongoing process. Even when a dressing plan has been established, a wound may vary greatly from one dressing change to another and may warrant a change in the dressing approach.

For instance, if a wound has a lot of fluid, it may need a more powerful absorption. The amount can be reduced as healing takes place. If the same product is not used, it may not be appropriate for the patient’s needs. However, if there is more fluid production, it should be examined more carefully and possibly a different approach to the dressing should be chosen.

At the time of dressing changes, the healthcare professional will be able to see the quantity, colour, consistency and smell of the fluid, as well as other factors related to the wound. These observations can be used in the continuous wound assessment process.

Before choosing a Dressing, what Should Nurses Consider?

Before selecting a dressings, nurses and other health care professionals should take into account the volume of fluid production, if there is any, whether it is changing, the condition of the surrounding skin, the duration of the dressing and the treatment goal.

The product should also be viable for the care setting. A hospital-dressing might be different to a community or home-care nurse. Taking these factors into account can help avoid a one product fits all approach and help to guide more suitable wound management.

What is the significance of this in a Nurse Home and in Home Care?

Wound care does not occur just in hospitals. A nurse/carer may be regularly involved with providing support to individuals with chronic or complex wounds in a nursing home, community service or patient’s home.

It is especially important to ensure adequate wound dressings are available in these environments. Sometimes a healthcare worker has to act swiftly to address changes in a wound without the resources on hand that are available in a hospital.

Therefore, it is important to have a good variety of wound care supplies to help facilitate flexible care. Organisation should think about the variety of wounds their staff are likely to be facing and just having a single dressing could not allow staff to react when wound characteristics change.

Selecting Wound Dressings From a Trustworthy Supplies.

For healthcare organisations to handle various wound care needs, they must have access to reliable medical supplies. This is especially important for the hospital, nursing home and community care team or home care professionals that regularly use dressings.

Medguard Healthcare offers medical & wound care products that cater to the medical & care settings. Availability of a variety of dressing products may facilitate the choice of product according to the needs determined during wound assessment by the healthcare team.

Healthcare organisations should be more cautious about buying wound dressings based on price or popularity of the product, but rather determine if there are products available that can meet the types of wound care situations that their professionals face routinely. A dependable supplier can likewise help ensure a sufficient supply of the product for regular use and for varying clinical needs.

Incorporating dressing selection into the routine assessment of wounds.

Assessing wounds as a continuous process that includes dressing selection.

While fluid output from a wound is a factor to consider, it should be taken into account in conjunction with the overall assessment. No one dressing works for all wounds, or all phases of healing.

When it comes to preparing for the various needs of patients, access to an appropriate selection of wound dressings is vital for hospitals, nursing homes, community nurses and home-care professionals. Medguard Healthcare can supply medical supplies and wound care products to healthcare organizations, assisting healthcare staff in sourcing products to support their day-to-day work.

In the end, it is not always the best absorbing or available option that is the best choice of dressing. Frequent evaluation and timely provision of suitable wound care equipment can assist health care providers to modify their practice to suit the patient’s evolving needs.

Mots Clés : Wound dressing, medical Supplies In ireland