Nursing care of donor site wounds

The list of ideal donor site characteristics includes many items related to nursing care such as the ability of the dressing to minimize pain, permit patient mobility, and simplify postoperative care. Biobrane must adhere to the donor site wound bed and be allowed to dry without fluid accumulation. Coarse-mesh gauze wraps applied over the Biobrane in the operating room help maintain contact between Biobrane and the wound bed, protect the donor site from traumatic dislodgment in the early postoperative period, and serve to wick wound drainage in the first 24 hours. Twenty-four hours after surgery the nurse removes the outer dressing. The Biobrane is usually adherent to the wound, and the site is left open to dry. The primary goal of nursing care is to maintain sufficient airflow around the site. Nursing care of Biobrane-covered donor sites is uncomplicated but requires adherence to certain procedures to promote optimal donor site healing.