Version July 2025
| Remove the old dressing: |
| Wash your hands well with soap and water before you touch the dressing. |
| Put on gloves. |
| Gently remove the old dressing. The doctor might tell you to wet the old dressing with water if it is sticking to the wound. |
| Pull the tape toward the wound to remove it. Remove all of the old dressing and any packing from inside the wound. |
| Throw away the old dressing. |
| Take off your gloves, and throw them away. Wash your hands again with soap and water. |
| Clean the wound: |
| Each time you change the dressing, look closely at the wound to check that the area is healing. If there is a lot of drainage or more pus than before, tell your doctor. Look at the skin around the wound for signs of infection like color changes, swelling, or other changes. |
| Wash the wound gently with soap and water. Rinse, then pat dry with a clean, soft cloth. Do not rub the wound when washing or drying. |
| Remove any bits of old dressing from the wound. |
| Wash your hands again with soap and water. |
| Put on the new dressing: |
| Put on clean gloves. |
| Follow your doctor's instructions for covering or packing the wound. This might also include putting a medicine either directly on the wound or on the wound edges. |
| If your wound needs to be "packed," your doctor or nurse will show you how. It involves putting gauze or other special material into the wound. This packing material helps absorb drainage if the wound is wet or provides moisture if the wound is dried out. It also helps keep the wound clean as it heals. |
| Cover the new dressing with a dry bandage, if needed, and secure it with tape. |
| Take off your gloves, and throw them away. Wash your hands with soap and water. |
