3 Ways to Dress a Wound - First Aid Training For Emergency Treatment

First aid training can set you apart in the workplace and make you a vital guest on any road trip or adventure. Learning these three wound dressing techniques can mean the difference between a hospital trip and successfully treating a patient.

There is more than one way to dress a wound, which makes sense because there is more than one type of wound. There are puncture wounds, there are abrasions, there are boils and blisters, and worse. Learning how to treat as many of these types of wound as possible is what will set you apart as a first aider. Here is what you need to know to dress for success.

3 Ways to Dress Wounds

The easiest type of dressing to apply is a simple cloth bandage. These are suitable for minor wounds and protecting cuts and scrapes from dirt or clothing. Here are other common wound types and how to dress them.

dressing wounds - First aid training — dressing wounds – First aid training

1 – Deep Wounds

When you are dealing with a deep cut, you need to make sure the wound is clean, can drain, and will close properly. Any wound that requires packing is a wound that requires a hospital trip. Once treated, the wound will require you to change the dressing. You can use wound packing strips to help with this.

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Using this technique, you apply wound packing strips inside the wound. They will soak up any liquids and stop the wound from closing at the entry point. If a wound closes before it heals it can lead to infection. Pack the strips inside the wound and apply a layer of padded bandage. An adhesive plaster is good for this as long as it is large enough. You could cover it with a bandage if the doctor instructed you to do so.

2 – Burns

Methods for treating burns have changed in recent years. Originally, the advice was to keep water on the wound and wrap it in a sterile but non-porous covering. In a kitchen, for example, this might have been cling film wrap. Using a burn spray is another favorite kitchen burn treatment method.

If you go to hospital, however, they will assess the damage of your burns. They will wrap you in gauze and offer you pain relief. It is unlikely that they will place anything damp on the bandage. They will advise you to keep it dry.

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Changing a burn dressing means carefully removing the old layers of bandage. Remove the padding over the immediate wound. Do not wash or touch the wound unless the doctors told you to. Discard of the old bandage and padding and place a fresh gauze pad over the wound. Do not use adhesive bandages for burns. Wrap the wound in gauze bandages or soft cloth. Do not tie it tightly.

First aid training - quick response — First aid training – quick response

3 – Dressings with Bandages Attached

When using these types of bandages, you will notice that there is a gauze pad which applies directly over the wound. This pad attaches at two sides to two strips of cloth bandage. These wrap around the wound on either side. These bandages usually apply to wounds on the arm or the leg, limb wounds and partial amputations. They are used for those in recovery.

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Dr. Amanda

Amanda is a certified nutritionist and fitness yoga trainer, and writer in the areas of health, fitness and nutrition.

3 Ways to Dress a Wound – First Aid Training For Emergency Treatment