Wound treatment and dressing choice
Intended for healthcare professionals
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Wound treatment and dressing choice

Mick Miller Assistant Director of Clinical Research & Clinical Nurse Specialist, Wound Healing, at the Tissue Repair Research Unit, Division of Anatomy and Cell Biology, UMDS, Guy's Hospital, London

Wound treatment and dressing choice can be a complicated decision making process. Studies appear to indicate that many nurses are still not getting it right (1,2). Most primary intention wounds, that is, those closed by, for example, sutures or Steristrips are straightforward to manage once the decision has been made that the wound is suitable for primary closure. When closed, small wounds will heal sufficiently for sutures or Steristrips to be removed in five to seven days. Large, deep wounds, such as those associated with various surgical procedures, will be strong enough after primary closure to have sutures removed at around 10 to 14 days.

Emergency Nurse. 3, 2, 16-18. doi: 10.7748/en.3.2.16.s4

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