Site Map	Change a Simple Dressing & Perform Wound Care

Equipment

• Dressing pack containing:
  • Gallipots
  • Cotton Wool
  • Disposable forceps
  • Dressing towel
  • Rubbish bag
  • Tape
• Antiseptic solution
• Plastic apron
• Culture swab for microbiology (optional)
• Sterile field paper drape

Procedure

• Introduce yourself and check the patient's identity
• Discuss procedure with the patient
• Consider analgesia
• Screen the patient from onlookers
• Wash hands (soap and water) & put the apron on
• Place the equipment required (unopened) on the bottom shelf of a clean dressing trolley
• Place the sterile field drape on the top shelf of the trolley and open it
• Remove the outher packageing of the dressing pack and slide the contents of the pack onto the sterile field
• Attach the disposal bag to the side of the trolley
• Arrange the pack's contents using one of the pairs of forcepts
  • Discard forceps
• Fill the gallipots with saline or antiseptic
• Put on the sterile gloves
• Inspect and palpate the wound for signs of infection or inflammation
• Decide if a new dressing is required
• Take a swab if necessary
• Using forcepts, cotton wool and antiseptic / saline clean the wound working from the inside to the outside of the wound
• Apply new dressing and secure with micropore tape
• Fold up the sterile field drape and discard contents
• Spray trolley with disinfectant