1 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U N E 2 0 1 9
Ideas Work
That
INFECTION CONTROL
When Can Wound Coverings Come Off?
I
t takes about 24
hours for enough
epithelial cells to
proliferate across sur-
gical wounds to pro-
tect the area from
infection. You can tell
patients to keep
wounds fully covered
for a full day after
they leave your facility
and include a
reminder in discharge
directions, but they're often tempted to peel back bandages for a
quick peek or, worse, remove them to shower. That's why our hospi-
tal's SSI prevention bundle includes "DO NOT REMOVE UNTIL" stickers,
which online office supply retailers can make for you. PACU nurses
note the next day's date on the stickers before placing them on surgi-
cal wound dressings. The stickers serve as on-the-spot reminders for
tempted patients to keep dressings in place until wounds begin to
close.
Kimberly Davis, MD, MBA, FACS, FCCM
Yale School of Medicine
New Haven, Conn.
kimberly.davis@yale.edu
• STICK TO IT Noting when it's safe to remove surgical dressings protects incision
sites until they begin to heal.
