Okuzeka
Nursing vocabulary · Wound Care

Dressing

Meaning in nursing, with examples

/ˈdrɛsɪŋ/nounCore term

In nursing, dressing means: A covering put on a wound to protect it, absorb fluid and help it heal, such as a gauze pad, a film or a foam dressing.

In Turkish: pansuman, yara örtüsü

How it is used

Nurses apply, change, remove and check dressings: 'The dressing is due to be changed on Friday', 'the dressing is soaked through'. The procedure is called 'a dressing change'. Outside hospital the word also means a salad sauce or putting on clothes.

Example sentences

  1. Her dressing is soaked through, so I'll change it after the drug round.

  2. Leave the dressing on for two days and try to keep it dry.

Common collocations

  • change a dressing
  • apply a dressing
  • dressing change
  • sterile dressing
  • the dressing is oozing
  • woundDamage to the skin and the tissue under it, caused for example by an injury, an operation or long pressure.
  • aseptic techniqueA set of working methods that stops germs from getting into a wound, a vein or another part of the body during a procedure.
  • exudateFluid that leaks out of a wound, made of serum, cells and sometimes pus; its amount, colour and smell help nurses judge how the wound is doing.
  • healTo become healthy again, especially for a wound or broken skin to close and repair itself.
  • sterileCompletely free from bacteria and other living microorganisms, so that it can safely touch wounds or the inside of the body.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Wound Care

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.