Sterile Procedures
LESSON 1: Communicable Diseases
1-5
Section II. PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF INFECTION
1-5. PREVENTION OF WOUND INFECTION
Steps to prevent wound infection must be taken by each person who renders aid, care, or treatment to the casualty. Although all combat wounds are contaminated by their nature, the following precautions can be taken to avoid converting contaminated wounds to infected wounds and to minimize the occurrence of wound infections.
a. Sterile Dressing. The application of a sterile dressing over the wound will lessen the chance of contamination becoming infection.
b. Clean Hands. Persons giving direct care and treatment to patients should wash their hands in soap and water or rinse hands in antiseptic. Hands contaminated with blood, vomitus, mucus, urine, or feces should be thoroughly scrubbed before providing care and treatment.
c. Clean Wound.
(1) Minor cuts and bruises may be scrubbed vigorously with soap and water and dried with sterile cotton before dressings are applied.
(2) If an antiseptic is immediately available, it may be applied around a superficial wound when hemorrhage is not severe and when surgery is expected to be delayed for more than six hours after the injury occurred.
(a) When applying antiseptic around a wound, use a sterile cotton swab. Start at the wound edge and apply the antiseptic away from the wound. Do not retrace.
(b) Do not put antiseptic into the wound nor permit it to drain into the wound.
(c) Do not remove or loosen a dressing to apply antiseptic around the area of the wound.
(d) Do not touch the antiseptic supply with a used swab or anything else not sterile.
(e) Do not breathe, cough, or sneeze on wounds or sterile items.
d. Precautions. Avoid causing further injury and prevent chilling, exposure, fatigue, and other factors which lessen the body's resistance.
e. Medication. Antibiotics and tetanus toxoid, if needed, are usually administered at the aid station.
