Question

The nurse providing wound care should choose a dressing that keeps the periwound skin dry and the surgical wound bed moist to promote healing. The dressing used for wound care should control exudate from the wound, but it should not desiccate the wound bed. Application of pressure while cleaning the periwound and wound may deepen the wound bed. Using sterile normal saline and a sterile gauze to clean the surgical wound reduces the incidences of infection.

What should be the primary consideration when selecting a dressing for wound care to promote healing and minimize infection risk?

a) Controlling exudate without desiccating the wound bed
b) Applying pressure during periwound and wound cleaning
c) Using sterile saline and gauze to clean surgical wounds
d) Allowing the periwound skin to remain moist

Answer 1

The most important factor in choosing a wound dressing is controlling exudate without desiccating the wound bed, which supports healing and reduces infection risk.

Step-by-step explanation:

The primary consideration when selecting a dressing for wound care to promote healing and minimize infection risk is a) Controlling exudate without desiccating the wound bed. This aligns with the goals of maintaining a moist wound environment, which is conducive to healing, while avoiding maceration of the surrounding skin. Additionally, it is essential to avoid applying pressure during cleaning, as it may deepen the wound bed, and to use sterile saline and gauze to prevent infection. These practices are crucial, considering the need for stringent infection control measures in wound management.