Tap Water V Normal Saline

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Is Tap Water An Effective Wound Cleanser?

FdA Health and Social Care

Investigating Practice

Assignment

Submission date11/07/2008

Introduction

For the purpose of this assignment I have chosen to investigate the use of tap water for cleansing wounds. This subject has been chosen as a TAP working within General Practice, wound management will become a significant part of my role. I will conduct a thorough literature review surrounding the subject chosen and also determine if tap water is an effective wound cleanser. I will investigate the difference, if any, in the infection rates of wounds cleansed with tap water or normal saline. I will give definitions of wound cleansing and why it is performed. I will discuss the sources of evidence I find and conclude the findings within this review. Nutrition also plays a big part in wound healing and it is fundamental to the wellbeing of the patient with a wound, this will also be discussed.

Trevelyan (1996) states that nursing practice does not always reflect research and nurses have a tendency to be ritualistic when it comes to cleansing wounds rather than using evidence based research. McKenna et al (1999) state that