Final answer:
Monitoring for increased redness, swelling, and pain is vital for detecting infection after treating a wound. Handwashing is a crucial step in preventing the spread of pathogens, especially for healthcare workers. Proper wound care and hand hygiene are key in maintaining a healthy healing process.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is important to watch for increased redness, swelling, and pain after a cut or abrasion has been cleaned and bandaged because these symptoms can indicate an infection. When pathogens enter the body through a break in the skin, they encounter the body's second line of defense, which includes the inflammatory response. If an infection develops, the affected area may become red, swollen, and more painful. Monitoring these signs helps in early detection and treatment of possible infections to prevent further complications.
Handwashing is critical for public health, especially in clinical settings, to prevent the spread of infections. Effective handwashing involves following the five steps recommended by the CDC. This is even more important for health-care workers, who should wash their hands thoroughly between patient contacts, after contact with bodily fluids, and before and after invasive procedures to minimize the risk of transferring microbes to patient wounds.
For individuals who have dressed a wound, it may be necessary to switch hands to hold the dressing on the wound in order to maintain a sterile environment or to properly access the wound for thorough cleaning or redressing. Properly maintaining and monitoring wound dressings and practicing good hand hygiene are both essential aspects of wound care.