Clean a Wound

Preparation and Equipment:

1.  Consider administration of anesthetic subcutaneously to anesthetize area for cleaning.   This will allow time for method to take effect while you gather supplies.  Remember not to use anesthetic preparations containing epinephrine near areas of nose, face, fingers, toes or genital areas as the vasoconstrictive action may compromise circulation to these areas.

2.  Gather equipment:  sterile normal saline or sterile water, syringe (60cc or 30cc), splash guard, gloves, dressing material, tape, protective drapes/toweling.  Select protective equipment based on need and method of cleansing:  gloves, gown, face shield and/or goggles.

3.  Consider use of  systemic antibiotics and/or prophylactic antibiotic ointment to wound site once wound is cleaned.

Procedure:

1. Place patient in position of comfort.  They will likely be in this position for several minutes.

2. Don protective gloves.

3. Use syringe to irrigate wound with sterile irrigation solution.  

4. Repeat this step several times so that approximately 500-1000cc of solution are used.  This is to ensure adequate irrigation and dissolution of clots that formed with debris entrapped.

5. Dry wound with sterile gauze and prepare for sterile dressing application if indicated.

Reference:  Nettina, Sandra M., (1996)  The lippincott manual of nursing practice (6^th ed.)  pp 95.  Lippincott:  Philadelphia.

Patrick Myer RN, BSN, CEN

Emergency Medicine Department

Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth

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*This web version is provided by The Brookside Associates, LLC.  It contains original contents from the official US Navy NAVMED P-5139, but has been reformatted for web access and includes advertising and links that were not present in the original version. The medical information presented was reviewed and felt to be accurate in 2001. Medical knowledge and practice methods may have changed since that time. Some links may no longer be active. This web version has not been approved by the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense. The presence of any advertising on these pages does not constitute an endorsement of that product or service by either the US Department of Defense or the Brookside Associates. The Brookside Associates is a private organization, not affiliated with the United States Department of Defense.

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