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Nursing vocabulary · Wound Care

Heal

Meaning in nursing, with examples

/hiːl/verbCore term

In nursing, heal means: To become healthy again, especially for a wound or broken skin to close and repair itself.

In Turkish: iyileşmek, kapanmak (yara)

How it is used

Used for wounds, ulcers, bones and burns: 'The wound is healing well', 'slow to heal', 'fully healed'. The noun is 'healing': 'wound healing', 'delayed healing'. For a person getting better after an illness, 'recover' is more natural than 'heal'.

Example sentences

  1. The wound is healing nicely; you can take the dressing off in a few days.

  2. Smoking and poor nutrition can slow down wound healing.

Common collocations

  • heal well
  • slow to heal
  • fully healed
  • wound healing
  • delayed healing
  • woundDamage to the skin and the tissue under it, caused for example by an injury, an operation or long pressure.
  • dressingA 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.
  • sutureA stitch or a line of stitches that holds the edges of a wound or surgical cut together while it heals; also the thread used for this.
  • 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.

More terms: Wound Care

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