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Dave1510
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Wound cleansing using tap water

I came across this query on my cyber-travels ...

"I am a undergraduate degree student doing the Community Specialist Pratitioner Bsc (Hons) (District Nursing) and would be interested to hear from other practitioners who use tap water for a variety of wounds when cleansing them and, what evidence base they are using to offer justification for this.
Thanks"

Has anyone heard of this?

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9/Feb/06, 21:16 Send Email to Dave1510     Send PM to Dave1510   MSN  
 
goalie
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Re: Wound cleansing using tap water

Those of us who have patients with leg ulcers have been using tap water for eons (well years anyway.) There seems to be no difference in infection rates between sterile solutions and tap water and it is important to provide skin care to the wole legby washing it, ulcer and all.There is up to date reference to this from the rcn here
tap water is generally used for chronic wounds such as leg ulcers, but never for surgical wounds. Tap water is also used in first aid situations for grazes etc.


Last edited by goalie, 9/Feb/06, 21:44
9/Feb/06, 21:43 Send Email to goalie     Send PM to goalie  
 
eddie007

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Re: Wound cleansing using tap water

Tap water is prefered for leg ulcer providing it is not Well water ... its always worth checking water supply in rural suffolk... Wonder what the implications of reticulated water supplies in Australia are .... on leg ulcers

Any way I am a great believer in not over washing leg ulcers... disturbing wound bed, lowering temperature, eliminating useful flora and fauna and distrubing new cell growth being my main arguements...

I HATE IRRICLENS... it should be put in room 101 (splash back, lack of research on perssure on wound bed and the habit a lot of nurse have of picking it up with yicky gloves on.... not to mention not being able to assess the temperature of the contents...)
10/Feb/06, 1:33 Send Email to eddie007     Send PM to eddie007  
 
Kylie Selassie
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Re: Wound cleansing using tap water

I remember tap water bladder washouts about 108 years ago.
Then suddenly it had to be a sterile procedure every time with sterile water or saline.
Then these pockets of chlorhexidine bladder lavage appeared, and the pharmaceuticals made a lot of money.

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10/Feb/06, 9:00  
 
snowkitty
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Re: Wound cleansing using tap water

Have been using tap water as long as I have been qualified, also hate irriclens for the same reason that eddie stated, and because some div always put's it in the fridge emoticon

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10/Feb/06, 11:40 Send Email to snowkitty     Send PM to snowkitty   Blog  
 
Uberposter
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Re: Wound cleansing using tap water

Very good cleanser, I always used cold tap water on new bleeding cuts, and never had any infective outcome.

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10/Feb/06, 16:00 Send Email to Uberposter     Send PM to Uberposter   Blog  
 
Dub Queen
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Re: Wound cleansing using tap water

My mother always used to tell me to 'rub a bit of spit on it'

Yeah yeah, I know how bacteria laden it is - but it never did me any harm.

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Dayshade

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Re: Wound cleansing using tap water

quote:
Dub Queen wrote:

My mother always used to tell me to 'rub a bit of spit on it'

Yeah yeah, I know how bacteria laden it is - but it never did me any harm.

Mmmmm, visions of DNs across the country spitting on their patients' leg ulcers.

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11/Feb/06, 9:29 Send Email to Dayshade     Send PM to Dayshade  
 
Titch5
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Re: Wound cleansing using tap water

makes a change from the dog licking it!
11/Feb/06, 20:17 Send Email to Titch5     Send PM to Titch5  
 
snowkitty
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Re: Wound cleansing using tap water

quote:
Titch5 wrote:

makes a change from the dog licking it!

Tell me that's a joke emoticon

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"If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all." -Noam Chomsky
12/Feb/06, 18:34 Send Email to snowkitty     Send PM to snowkitty   Blog  
 


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