Wound Care at Home: This requires a method and a stock of supplies. This is a quick and effective way to help prevent infection. Keeping your supplies full and within easy reach for application on scrapes, cuts, and punctures. While practicing as an RN for more than 15 years. There have been many methods learned for wound care. However, the most important thing for me has been prevention at the home level. Since having children is always a recipe for some sort of injury at home, of course, I am a total Klutz; many of these come from first-hand experience with myself.
Wound Care at Home: While taking care of myself and 2 active boys. There have been many cuts, scrapes, and puncture wounds to mend. Certainly, having practiced nursing gives insight. But nothing compares to experience. Therefore, I have a method for dealing with wounds that almost always works.
First, you need a place to keep your supplies at hand. While I just keep them under my bathroom sink. However, everyone’s needs vary. Therefore, you will find out what works best for your family.
Wound Care at Home: Now we come to the supplies that need to be in your wound kit. First of all, wash, wash, and wash the wound thoroughly. Now, this is often very uncomfortable. Yet not performing this important first step can lead to worse discomfort. Use warm water to encourage bleeding. While this seems contrary to popular belief, allowing the wound to bleed; helps wash out debris along with bacteria.
This next step comes from knowing about the different types of bacteria that can infect a wound. While there are many, many types of bacteria, certainly, I am referring to two types of bacteria that require different treatments. Now there are aerobic bacteria that need oxygen to survive. Of course, there is the opposite. Which are the anaerobic bacteria that die in the presence of oxygen.
This is the second step in your wound care procedure. Saturate the wound with hydrogen peroxide. By penetrating the wound with peroxide. You are, in fact, oxygenating the deepest areas of the wound. Thereby decreasing the chance of an anaerobic bacteria infection. Remembering that wounds close themselves with a scab. Thus allowing an oxygen-free area. This is especially important for puncture wounds.
The next step is to reduce the growth of aerobic bacteria. Since we have taken care of cleaning and oxygenating the wound, we want to decrease the growth of the other bacteria. Betadine ointment can be a breeding ground for bacteria. However, the betadine solution is not. Of course, if you want proof, just look at what surgical units use to disinfect the skin for incisions. Yes, they use betadine solution for disinfecting the surgical area. Betadine contains iodine; therefore, it will stain fabrics. So be careful when soaking your cotton ball with the solution. Preferably apply to wounds over the sink or an old towel.
Finally, when the betadine solution has dried, apply a bandage to cover the opening until a solid scab forms. Another important aspect is to keep all vaccinations for tetanus current. However, by using this quick, simple plan for the cuts, scrapes, and punctures occurring at home, thereby keeping the need for doctor visits to a minimum, however, if you cannot stop any injury from bleeding; then run, do not walk to your nearest health care facility. Since this is a sure sign that stitches are required, to close the wound and start the healing process.
While some trips to the emergency room or physician’s office are unavoidable, using a quick, simple method for treating all cuts, scrapes, and punctures. Will ease your mind that you have done all that is possible to protect yourself and your family from infection. As the old saying goes, “An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth A Pound of Cure.“
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