Final answer:
Washing hands and ensuring a safe environment is the first step before treating an open wound. Watching for signs of infection is vital as they can compromise the healing process. The skin's healing process involves stages including blood clot formation and inflammation, and the immune response helps protect against infection at the injury site.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before treating an open wound, it is vital to initially ensure the environment is safe and then to clean your hands to prevent infection. It is important to watch for increased redness, swelling, and pain after a cut or abrasion has been cleaned and bandaged because these can be signs of infection. Skin injuries start a healing process involving several stages; the first being the formation of a blood clot. This clot stabilizes the injury and begins the healing process.Furthermore, observing changes after bandaging is crucial because the immune system is actively working to repair the wound, and any excess in redness or swelling could indicate that there is an impediment in the healing, such as an infection. Immediate and proper response to such signs is paramount in preventing further complications. As blood and blood components are exposed during an injury, stopping the bleeding is the initial concern, followed by the stages of wound healing where various cells contribute to repairing the damaged skin.In the case of a cut, when a blood vessel is severed, blood will leak out, and if the injury is deep enough to reach the dermis, it will bleed as indicated in the scenario with the individual using a knife. A paper cut, while minor, still presents a risk of infection, representing the importance of the innate immune system in fighting off pathogens that might enter through such injuries.