Wound Care Specialist

What is wound care?

Wound care is a type of urgent care used to treat cuts, lacerations, puncture wounds, and abrasions. The goal of wound care is to stop bleeding, prevent further damage, promote the body’s natural healing process, and limit the risk of infection.

Most minor cuts respond well to traditional first-aid measures. However, if you experience a cut or laceration that won’t stop bleeding or there’s debris like gravel or dirt caught in the wound, it’s important to seek professional medical help right away.

What type of injuries require professional wound care?

If you cut yourself, it’s not always easy to know how serious the wound is. NewMed Immediate Care recommends you make an appointment if:

• The cut is deep
• The cut is over a joint, like your knee or elbow
• You’re unable to get the cut or laceration clean
• The injury is a deep puncture wound
• You haven’t had a tetanus shot in the last 5-10 years
  
  

You should also make a wound care appointment at NewMed Immediate Care if your wound is from a human or animal bite.

What happens during a wound care appointment?

A wound care appointment at NewMed Immediate Care begins with a thorough exam. Your provider carefully observes your wound, noting its size, location, and level of blood production. They also ask you about the events leading up to your injury and the steps you took following.

After gathering this information, your provider carefully cleans your wound with an antiseptic solution. If you have a low pain tolerance or sensitive skin, let your provider know, and they can administer a local anesthetic.

If you have a minor wound, your provider might apply an antibiotic ointment and wrap it in gauze or a bandage. Depending on the cause of your injury, they might also write you a prescription for oral antibiotics.

More severe wounds may require outpatient procedures like stitches or sutures. This type of treatment involves your provider carefully closing the wound back up with medical-grade sutures. The sutures encourage your body’s healing process and lower your risk of infection.

What is recovery like following wound care?

Following your wound care appointment, your provider gives you a list of recovery instructions. Make sure to clean and care for the wound regularly and take your medications as prescribed. Once the healing process is complete, you may need to return to NewMed Immediate Care for your provider to remove the stitches or sutures.

To schedule a wound care appointment at NewMed Immediate Care, call the office to speak with a team member, or book a consultation online today.