How wounds are treated
By Mark Collier, Lead Nurse Consultant – Tissue Viability,
United Lincolnshire Hospitals
The most common approach to the assessment, preparation and management of
wounds is known as TIME. The TIME principle works as follows:
Tissue
Healthcare professionals will identify the types of tissue within the wound
bed. All unwanted dead tissue will be removed. |
Inflammation/Infection
Healthcare professionals will identify the cause of inflammation/infection if
present and will administer the appropriate treatment. |
Moisture
Research has shown that wounds heal better when
the wound is kept moist by use of an appropriate dressing. The most
effective treatment is to achieve a balance where the wound is moist
but not saturated. Healthcare professionals will select the most appropriate
dressing for the wound. |
Edges
How can the skin edges be protected from further damage
as a result of any excess exudate. It is important that the edges of a wound are kept healthy
to reduce the risk of skin breakdown and infection. |
In order to aid with the M and E
parts of the TIME principle, various dressings products, dressings
and skin protection may be used on a wound.
