Question

The nurse is providing care to a patient with an open abdominal wound after surgery. What teaching should the nurse provide to the patient regarding the healing process?

The wound will be stapled together until it heals.
The healing will contract the area to close the wound.
The wound will be left open and heal from the edges inward.
The wound will be sutured after the current infection is controlled.

Answer 1

For an open abdominal wound post-surgery, the nurse should teach the patient that the wound will be sutured after infection control, and healing will involve wound contraction to aid closure.

Step-by-step explanation:

The healing process for an open abdominal wound post-surgery may involve a few different approaches, depending on the condition of the wound and the presence of any complications like infection. Initially, the focus is on containment of the injury and removal of toxins and waste products. The wound healing involves coagulation which reduces blood loss and binds the edges of the wound together, followed by formation of a scab that reduces infection risk.

Fibroblasts replace lost collagen, and angiogenesis leads to the formation of granulation tissue. If the wound edges are close enough, a primary union is facilitated, where sutures or staples might be used to promote quicker healing and avoid disfiguring scars. In cases of more significant wounds or those complicated by infection, healing often occurs through secondary union, where the edges of the wound are gradually pulled together over time. The nurse may explain that the wound will be sutured after the current infection is controlled and that healing will contract the wound to aid closure.