Question

An older patient is transferred from the nursing home with a black wound on her heel. What should the nurse expect to be the first treatment of this wound?

1. Dress it with an absorbent dressing for exudate.
2. Handle the wound gently and let it dry out to heal.
3. Debride the nonviable, eschar tissue to allow healing.
4. Use negative-pressure wound (vacuum) therapy to facilitate healing.

Answer 1

The first treatment for a black wound on an older patient's heel is to debride the nonviable tissue to allow healing. Once the necrotic tissue is removed, the wound can be dressed with an absorbent dressing.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first treatment for a black wound on the heel of an older patient would be to debride the nonviable, eschar tissue to allow healing. An older patient with a black wound is likely experiencing necrotic tissue death, which needs to be removed for the wound to heal properly.

Debridement involves the removal of dead or necrotic tissue from the wound, which can be done through various methods such as sharp debridement, mechanical debridement, or enzymatic debridement.

Once the nonviable tissue is removed, the wound can then be dressed with an absorbent dressing for exudate management.