PROBLEM:  Wound care patients in a home setting require a dressing that will maintain a moist wound environment, reduce painful dressing changes, and require minimal visits by home health nurses, thus reducing home health care costs.  It was our goal as wound clinic nurses to provide such a dressing when transferring patient care to a home health agency.

METHODOLOGY:  In the wound clinic, we used an absorbent gel wound dressing pad* on wound care patients who complained of pain during dressing changes when saline moistened gauze or foam were used as primary dressings.  Securing the dressing directly over the wound was essential to wound healing and preventing maceration of periwound skin.  Effective methods for securing such dressings will be described.

RESULTS:  Analyses of wound and pain assessments and patient feedback indicated that use of an absorbent gel wound dressing pad* reduced pain during dressing changes, healed wounds in a timely manner, and reduced home health care costs.  Because of ease of application, patients' families were able to apply the dressing with minimal instructions, thus reducing home health care visits.

CONCLUSION:  The proper application of an absorbent gel wound dressing pad* resulted in timely healing of wounds, less pain, and fewer home health visits.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE/DISCLOSURE:  The support of Medline Industries, Inc., is acknowledged for this poster.

* TenderWet, Medline Industries, Inc., Mundelein, Illinois.