The nurse assesses a patient's wound and notices leakage at the edge of the transparent film of the negative-pressure wound therapy.Which should the nurse implement to promote wound healing and prevent infection?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse replaces the patient's entire negative-pressure wound therapy dressing because it cannot establish negative wound pressure unless it is airtight.A leaking dressing provides an entry for pathogens.In addition,a leak in the dressing means that the negative pressure pulls room air currents over the wound bed,potentially contaminating the site.Adding another layer of transparent film could trap contaminants in the dressing,increasing the risk of infection.Adhesive dressing is avoided because it can irritate the skin and is too porous for establishing negative pressure.Likewise,an ABD pad is too porous to allow negative pressure to be reestablished.

The Nurse Assesses a Patient's Wound and Notices Leakage at the Edge