Wound Care and Management at the Arbors
Accurate wound assessment is essential to overall care and rehabilitation. The process includes understanding the available dressing products, intervention, and proper documentation. At The Arbors, the main objective of our short-term care programs is to give you long-term comfort. Our wound care and management involves the following:
1. Patient assessment
Successful treatment occurs after assessing the patient, not just the wound. This thorough evaluation identifies systemic risks that may hamper the healing process. Examples include endocrine disorders such as diabetes, cardiopulmonary issues, and mineral deficiencies.
2. Wound characterization
We treat a variety of wounds at The Arbors. Apart from ulcers and closed wounds, they include open wounds after an injury or fall, punctures, and burns. We study particular characteristics to determine your specific injury, including size, depth, surface appearance, amount of exudate, and type of peri-wound tissues.
3. Adequate oxygenation
The main reason for insufficient tissue oxygenation is narrow blood vessels. This local vasoconstriction is due to increased activity by the sympathetic nervous system. The results include low blood volume and unrelieved pain. Our rehabilitation process includes exposing your wounds to oxygen, which hastens the healing process.
4. Ample nutrition
Adequate nutrition is an often neglected necessity for healing. Protein-calorie, vitamin, and other mineral deficiencies harm wound healing processes. Your body may have higher than usual nutritional needs depending on the extent of your wounds. The healing process includes addressing suspected malnutrition, providing societal support, and managing multisystemic trauma.
5. Treatment of underlying infections
The appearance of wound culture doesn’t necessarily mean it’s infected. Wound exudate naturally prevents the growth of bacteria. However, opportunistic pathogens are always ready to cause infection if you suffer from systemic immune compromise. The signs include a foul-smelling discharge, spontaneous bleeding, increased wound exudate, and fever. The treatment plan involves surgical debridement and comprehensive antibiotic therapy.
6. Removal of foreign bodies
Foreign bodies and necrotic tissue increase the likelihood of infection and prolong your body’s inflammatory response. Your wound is likely to collect foreign particles at the time of injury, such as road debris following an accident. Other examples include suture material and pieces of dressing material. Thorough debridement is the most effective removal method.
7. Wound irrigation
Our short-term rehabilitation procedures include irrigating your wound gently with a saline solution. We increase the pressure slightly if it contains surface exudate. We’ll then gently pat the wound with a moist, soft gauze to prevent the disruption of healthy tissue.
Why is Proper Dressing Essential to Wound Management?
Sterile wound dressings hasten your rehabilitation process. After debridement, we’ll cover your wound with a wet saline dressing, which is beneficial for various reasons. Apart from promoting autolytic debridement, it helps absorb exudate while protecting the surrounding healthy skin.
Polyvinyl film dressing is suitable for wounds that are neither dry nor wet. This covering allows oxygen through while preventing bacteria. If your injury is dry, the most appropriate option is hydrocolloid dressing. That’s because it’s resistant to bacteria, oxygen, and moisture.
If your wound is exudative, you need a solution with high absorptive capacity. Examples are calcium alginates and Hydrofiber dressing. The former is also available in rope form for dressing deep wounds. Silver sulfadiazine is appropriate for dressing infected wounds. A bacitracin-zinc ointment is a suitable alternative if you’re allergic to sulfa drugs.
Talk to Wound Specialist Today
At The Arbors, we offer high-quality nursing and rehabilitation services to boost your post-op recovery prospects. Our state-of-the-art facility provides various therapy options to rebuild your strength. We have highly-skilled, experienced, and compassionate staff to guide you through the programs. Our comfortable amenities include private rooms, electric beds, a 24/7 nurse call system, individual climate control, entertainment, and ample storage space. Contact us today!
