To re-dress a surgical wound, use which technique?

• A. Remove old dressing with clean gloves; apply new dressing with sterile gloves
• B. Remove old dressing with sterile gloves; apply new dressing with clean gloves
• C. Remove old dressing with bare hands; apply new dressing with sterile gloves
• D. Re-use old dressing after wiping

Answer: (A)

Maintain aseptic technique during dressing changes. The old dressing is contaminated, so remove it with clean gloves to avoid transferring organisms to sterile surfaces. After removing the old dressing, perform hand hygiene and apply the new dressing using sterile gloves to keep the wound and the dressing free from microorganisms. Reuse of a dressing or removing the old one with bare hands compromises sterility and increases infection risk.