When caring for a wound, the caregiver needs to accurately assess the condition of the wound and then devise an appropriate care plan.
Each different wound will have a different care plan. Even so, there are certain general principles of wound care that caregivers need to be aware of. Those principles are:
– Prevent infection
– Ensure ventilation
– Maintain moisture
– Ensure nutrition
1. Prevent infection
Wounds are the gateway for microorganisms to enter and grow, so if not cleaned regularly, there is a risk of infection, making the healing process take longer and care more complicated.
To prevent infection, caregivers need to remove foreign objects, bruises, necrotic tissues, and hematomas in the wound, then wash the wound with a disinfectant solution with the correct technique so that the wound condition is always guaranteed. sterility.
2. Ensure ventilation
Oxygen plays an important role in the wound healing process. Cells need oxygen to carry out the cellular respiration cycle, creating energy to feed the cell. Besides, oxygen can help kill bacteria, as well as stimulate the formation of blood vessels and the elements necessary for the regeneration of new skin. Therefore, ensuring oxygen circulation between tissues has a great influence on the wound healing process.
3. Maintain moisture
British researcher George D. Winter has shown that a moist environment promotes the rapid growth of granulation tissues, so wounds with a moist environment heal about 3-5 times faster than dry wounds. Based on this research result, scientists have produced bandages that help maintain a moist environment for wounds such as foam, alginate, hydrogel, etc.
4. Ensure nutrition
Nutrition plays an important role in wound healing, providing raw materials for living cells and for cell regeneration. Therefore, in order for the wound to heal quickly, the patient needs to have a reasonable nutritional diet such as supplementing with foods rich in protein, iron, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamins B, C, zinc, etc. are necessary materials for cell formation.