Question

The nurse is providing care for a patient who has a sacral pressure ulcer with a wet-to-dry dressing. Which

guideline is appropriate when caring for a patient with a wet-to-dry dressing?
A. The wound should remain moist from the dressing.
B. The wet-to-dry dressing should be tightly packed into the wound.
C. The dressing should be allowed to dry before it's removed.
D. A plastic sheet-type dressing should cover the wet dressing

Answer 1

The guideline for caring for a wet-to-dry dressing on a sacral pressure ulcer is to keep the wound moist, change the dressing regularly without letting it completely dry, and avoid tightly packing the dressing into the wound to prevent further injury.Option A is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

When caring for a patient with a wet-to-dry dressing on a sacral pressure ulcer, the correct guideline is that the wound should remain moist from the dressing. A wet-to-dry dressing is a type of mechanical debridement used to clean a wound and remove dead tissue. The process involves the following steps:

1. Moisten the gauze with saline and place it onto the wound.
2. Cover the moist gauze with a secondary dressing to maintain a moist wound environment.
3. The dressing should be changed regularly, typically every 4 to 6 hours, and should not be allowed to dry completely before removal to avoid causing trauma to healing tissue.
4. Avoid overpacking the wound, as this can increase pressure and damage new tissue.

The intention is to allow the gauze to dry out partially so that, when it is removed, it will help to remove dead tissue gently from the ulcer. However, it should not be left to dry completely, as this can be painful for the patient and damage new, healthy tissue.

Furthermore, avoid tightly packing the dressing into the wound, as overpacking can cause additional pressure and damage to the wound bed. Instead, the dressing should fill the space gently without any force. Lastly, a plastic sheet-type dressing is not typically used with wet-to-dry dressings, as it could trap moisture and potentially lead to infection.