The non-adherent layer is always placed against the wound. Other types of non-adherent dressing have a special synthetic coating on one or both sides to prevent adhesion to the wound surface. This allows fluids to pass through into an absorbent layer, to keep the wound dry. If only one side has a plastic film, that is the side to be placed against the wound. A non-adherent dressing is often covered on one or both sides with a plastic film containing many perforations. Very light dressings are used on a minor wound to aid healing and most have a non-adherent surface. Cotton wool should NOT be used because of loose cotton fibres that might stick to the wound during healing. Sterile gauze squares are used mainly for cleaning a wound. They are ideal to fill crater wounds or to control severe bleeding. Some major wound dressings are labelled as BPC or BP (because they are listed in the British Pharmacopoeia) and consist of a sterile combine dressing with attached bandage. The most common dressing is made of combined wool or cellulose, covered in a light cotton woven fabric, and these are generally known as ‘combine dressings’. Then, to avoid contamination of the sterile dressing, it is not removed from the opened packet until the wound is ready to be covered.ĭressings used to control bleeding must be bulky to ensure that adequate pressure is applied over the injured area. Wound dressings will be in a sterile packet, which should be opened carefully by a person with clean or gloved hands. A tubular gauze bandage is used to retain a dressing on a finger or toe. It may also be used to support or immobilise an injury to a bone or joint or as improvised padding over a painful injury.
A triangular bandage is used as an arm sling or as a pad to control bleeding. A roller bandage is used to secure a dressing in place. A sterile dressing which is past its expiry date should NOT be used.Ī bandage is used in combination with a dressing where a wound is present. Dressings vary greatly in nature and size, so it is important to select the correct dressing for use on a specific wound.