Specific treatment medication: cleaning wounds, dressings, infusions and injections

Wounds: The first step, in case of any wound, is to stop the bleeding. Hold the pressure
continuously for 20-30 minutes and if possible elevate the wound. Secondly, clean the
wound by rinsing out the wound with clear water. Soap can irritate the wound, so try to
eep it out of the actual wound. !f dirt or debris remains in the wound after washing, use
twee"ers cleaned with alcohol to remove the particles.
Thirdly, apply an antibiotic to discourage infection and help your body#s natural healing
process.
$ourthly, cover the wound. %andages can help eep the wound clean and eep harmful
bacteria out. &hange the dressing at least daily or whenever it becomes wet or dirty.
!n case of deep wounds, the patient will need stitches.
$ifthly, watch for signs of infection, and last but not least, get a tetanus shot. 'octors
recommend a tetanus shot every (0 years.
Dressings: %efore applying any dressing, you should wear disposable surgical gloves.
)ae sure the patient is sitting or lying down.
Tell the patient what you are doing as you apply the dressing.
!f the affected area is bleeding, it should stop if you apply pressure and raise the area
higher than the heart.
*se a dressing that is slightly bigger than the wound you want it to cover.
+lace the dressing on top on the wound. , little bit of pressure on the affected area should
stop it from bleeding again, but mae sure that you don#t restrict the circulation.
Sterile dressing pads come in a protective wrapping. -hen applying a sterile dressing
pad, clean and dry the wound and surrounding sin.
Hold the bandage on either side of the pad and lay the pad directly on the wound.
'ressings should be replaced on a regular basis.
Injections: The first step in giving an in.ection is to determine what type of in.ection the
patient needs. Subcutaneous in.ections are made into the fat layer directly beneath the
sin. !ntramuscular in.ections are made directly into the muscle.
The nurse needs to put on some gloves. This will help prevent infections. Then, to
assemble the medication and needle. Some medications come ready-to-use, while others
re/uire you to fill the needle with medication from a vial.
The nurse must mae the patient comfortable after which clean the sin on and around
the site with rubbing alcohol. The ne0t step is to insert the needle /uicly and carefully at
a 12 degree angle. +ull the plunger out slightly to determine whether there is blood in the
syringe. !f there is blood, the nurse should carefully remove the needle and find a
different spot to administer the in.ection. !f no blood is found, the nurse should continue
and in.ect the medicine into the patient. The ne0t step is to remove the needle and push
down on the sin above the in.ection site and /uicly and carefully remove the needle in
the same angle in which it was administered. !f done correctly, the whole process doesn#t
need to tae more than five or ten seconds.
!n case of administering an intramuscular in.ection, common areas include the buttocs
and upper thigh. The nurse should clean the sin on and around the site with rubbing
alcohol and insert the needle into the sin and through the muscle at a 30 degree angle.
The ne0t step is in.ect the needle /uicly, without any build up. !n this case also, it is
necessary to pull the plunger out slightly to determine whether there is blood in the
syringe. !f there is blood, the nurse should carefully remove the needle and find a
different spot to administer the in.ection. !f no blood is found, the nurse will carefully
in.ect the medicine into the patient. $inally, remove the needle in the same angle in which
it was in.ected.
Infusions: !nfusions are typically used when the herbs you are using are leaves and
flowers of a plant. To prepare an infusion all you need to now is to use cold, filtered
water. *se appro0imately (-2 teaspoons of dried herb per cup of water or use 3 teaspoons
of fresh herb per cup of water. %ring your water to a boil and pour over your herbs. ,llow
to steep for (0-20 minutes, covered. $or medicinal infusions, you can use up to (42 ounce
of dried herbs per cup of water and allow it to steep for more than 20 minutes, up to
several hours. !nfusions do not have a long shelf-life, so it is best to mae them as
needed, or they can be stored in the fridge for a day or two.