Wounds are injuries such as scrapes, scratches and cuts that break the skin. They can happen in a number of ways and can easily be treated. Follow these simple steps to prevent infection and aid recovery.
Wash your hands
Before you go anywhere near broken skin, wash your hands thoroughly to avoid infecting the wound. Wear disposable gloves if you have them.
Stop the bleeding
Applying pressure to the wound should stop any bleeding. Use a clean, dry cloth or bandage to do this and avoid touching the wound directly. You should also raise the injury above the level of the heart and support it.
If you are a business owner, you may want to consider providing your staff with first aid training and administration of medical training; for example, first aid courses provided by companies such as https://www.tidaltraining.co.uk/health-and-social-care-courses/safe-handling-medication-training can upskill your team and greatly increase their confidence.
Cleanse the wound
Clean the wound by holding it under running water for at least five minutes or using a sterile wipe or saline solution. Pat it dry using a gauze swab, then cover it with sterile gauze. If you don’t have a first aid kit containing these, you can use a clean cloth such as a tea towel. This should be non-fluffy so that no fibres get stuck to the wound. You can clean around the wound with soap and water, making sure you wipe away from the wound and using clean swabs each time. Pat the wound dry before removing the gauze covering and apply a large plaster or sterile dressing.
St John Ambulance advises that you seek medical help if a wound doesn’t stop bleeding or a foreign object such as a splinter is embedded in it. This is also the case if you think the wound may be infected or it is from an animal or human bite. If the casualty hasn’t been immunised against tetanus, you should seek advice on this.
Finally, if the wound is very painful, you can take over-the-counter pain relief such as ibuprofen or paracetamol.