Tips to Ensure Faster Healing with In-Home Wound Care in Fairfax

Do you know that the US faces 10.5 million cases of chronic wounds every year?

Without proper wound care, patients can experience slow healing, infections, hospitalizations, and serious health complications.

Professional in-home wound care in Fairfax plays a key role in preventing such health issues. Home health care agencies like Nurse Next Door McLean ensure that clients have access to safe, consistent, and personalized wound care in the comfort, privacy, safety of their homes.

Here, we discuss a few effective tips that can help patients heal faster from their wounds and experience full recovery at home.

Keep the Wound Clean and Properly Dressed

Cleanliness is the foundation of proper wound care. While providing in-home wound care in Fairfax, Registered Nurses (RNs) ensure that the specific type of wound is cleaned with the right solution and covered with the appropriate dressing to protect against infection and promote healing. The frequency of changing dressings depends on the type and severity of the wound. Nurse Next Door McLean’s Registered Nurses (RNs) use sterile techniques to clean wounds and apply dressings based on the types of wound. These may include advanced dressings such as:

• Hydrocolloids
• Foam dressings
• Antimicrobial wraps if required 

Different types of wounds require different types of wound care. The wound care services for an acute post-surgery incision may be different from the ones for chronic wounds.

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Monitor Closely for Signs of Infection

Open or chronic wounds can be breeding grounds for bacteria, and if an infection is not caught early, it can worsen quickly, complicate recovery, and potentially jeopardize the health – or even the life – of the patient.

Nurse Next Door McLean’s RNs have the training to recognize and respond immediately to the earliest signs of infection, including:

• Redness
• Swelling
• Pus or discharge
• Foul smell
• Discoloration
• Pain
• Change in size

With the diligent monitoring provided through professional in-home wound care, infections are caught before they worsen and treated promptly, preventing complications and hospitalization.

Book a Free Caring Consult with Nurse Next Door McLean to receive effective and personalized in-home wound care.

Pressure Ulcers

Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores, are wounds of the skin and underlying tissues caused by the prolonged pressure of lying or sitting in one position too long, typically from being bedridden or wheelchair-bound. These wounds form over bony areas such as the hips, tailbone, and ankles, and their severity can range from a relatively-minor patch of bruised and painful skin to a deep, open abscess that exposes muscle or bone.

Larger pressure ulcers can result in serious health complications, including:

• Cellulitis: Spreading infection of the skin and soft tissues.
• Osteomyelitis: Underlying bone infections that can impair function.
• Sepsis: A life-threatening complication.
• Cancer: A chronic bedsore can turn into a squamous cell carcinoma.

How to Prevent Bedsores

Registered Nurses (RNs) who offer in-home wound care in Fairfax understand the potential risks associated with these wounds, so they prioritize prevention and early intervention.

• Changing the patient’s position: This means keeping the patient as active as possible, so they are not constantly sitting or lying in the same position. For patients who are bedridden, in a wheelchair, or who have mobility issues, this means regularly repositioning them so pressure is not always on the same parts of the body.
• Keeping the patient clean and dry: Personal hygiene is important. It includes regular bathing. Incontinent patients need timely care because feces and urine can rapidly break skin down.
• Ensuring proper nutrition: Patients need enough calories, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fluids to maintain healthy skin.
• Special monitoring for patients with certain medical conditions: Although all patients need to be monitored closely for any signs of developing bedsores, extra care should be taken with those with diabetes, spinal injuries, neurological disease, or vascular disorders.

Monitor Blood Sugar and Diet

Good nutrition is important for anyone who needs in-home wound care in Fairfax, but for diabetics it can mean the difference between healing and recovery and complications and hospitalization.

High blood sugar slows healing by compromising circulation and lowering the immune system. Professionals address this by:

• Frequently checking the patient’s glucose levels
• Administering diabetic medications, either orally or via injections
• Preparing nutritious meals that are tasty, and that are also low-carb and high-fiber
• Adhering to the doctor’s orders                                            

Drink Enough Water

Hydration is also a critical consideration. For diabetic patients, drinking enough water helps regulate blood glucose by allowing the kidneys to flush out excess sugar through urination. Dehydration, on the other hand, raises glucose levels.

Staying adequately hydrated promotes optimal wound healing for all patients by:

• Maintaining moisture at the damaged area
• Moving oxygen and nutrients to the wound site
• Promoting new cell growth
• Reducing scarring

Tips to Stay Hydrated

Here are some strategies that can make reaching hydration goals achievable:

• Keep a water bottle with your target intake listed on the side.
• Alternatively, use a water bottle with a timer, or set reminders on a phone.
• Eat foods with high water content. 
• Add sugar-free flavorings to improve the taste.
• Avoid beverages that are loaded with sugar and calories but offer little nutrition, e.g., sodas, energy drinks, and some juices.
• Contrary to misconceptions, coffee and tea are unlikely to lead to dehydration when consumed in moderation.

Get Educated and Empowered

There are a number of things that families of patients with wounds never even consider. In-home wound care in Fairfax means a partnership between professional and family caregivers and the patient, all working together towards the same goal.

Professional in-home wound care includes educating the patient and the family about what they can do to promote healing and recovery.

This approach also engages and empowers patients to take a more active role in their care, increasing the likelihood of compliance and successful recovery.

How In-Home Wound Care in Fairfax Prevents Infections

Why Nurse Next Door Is Your Top Choice for In-Home Wound Care in Fairfax

Nurse Next Door McLean provides expert in-home wound care services that meet the highest standards, all in the comfort, privacy, convenience, and safety of your own home.

• Trained and experienced Registered Nurses (RNs)
• Advanced wound care techniques such as Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT)
• Personalized wound care plans that meet your unique needs and preferences
• 24/7 availability
• Matching expert RNs with clients 
• Compassionate and comprehensive wound care 

Call us today (703) 774-9421 to find healing at home.

Conclusion

Properly caring for a chronic or acute wound is not easy, and it can get even harder if the patient is bedridden or if they have underlying health conditions such as diabetes. But you are not alone. If you or a loved one needs in-home wound care in Fairfax, book a Free Caring Consult with Nurse Next Door McLean now.