Wound Care

Background

Wounds can be a way for germs to get into the body because the skin’s natural barrier of protection is damaged. Wounds can also be a place for germs to live. Wound care (any activity that helps heal the breaks in the skin) can be a way to easily transmit germs if appropriate infection control precautions are not followed.

Examples of ways germs have been transmitted with wound care:

• Not cleaning hands at the right times
  • Be sure to clean hands before and after wound care
  • Be sure to clean hands before putting on new gloves and after removing them
• Not wearing personal protective equipment correctly
  • Do not reuse gloves
  • Be sure to change gloves when going from clean to dirty tasks
  • Wear a mask when performing wound care:
    • When there are splashes or sprays
    • During a Group A Streptococcus outbreak
• Not using multi-use ointments correctly
  • These ointments should be dedicated to a single person
  • They should not be taken to room to room and then put back into storage with clean supplies
• Not cleaning, disinfecting, or sterilizing shared equipment following manufacturer’s instructions
• Not cleaning and disinfecting the environment after contamination from splashes or sprays from wounds that are infected or colonized with germs