By Sue Hull MSN, RN, CWOCN

Here is an idea you will love!

What do you do with a blister? You know the problem. You discover a blister. If you don’t do anything, it will probably unroof and be open and vulnerable by the next time you see it.

If you put a transparent film on it, there will be a puddle of fluid in the dressing that will either leak or cause maceration and further skin breakdown.

What to do?

Here is what I do: Cleanse the area well with normal saline or wound cleanser. Allow it to dry well. Place a piece of alginate dressing over the blister. Then, cover the entire blister area with a transparent film dressing.

Now, if the blister stays intact, great. If the blister opens up, the alginate dressing will absorb the fluid and provide the wound bed with a moist wound environment, ready for you to assess when you make your visit. At that time you will be able to change the wound care to whatever is appropriate for the new wound, based on the wound characteristics.

While we are on the topic of blisters, remember, a serum-filled blister is a stage II. A blood-filled blister is a suspected deep tissue injury.

About The Author

Sue Hull MSN, RN, CWOCN has been a home health nurse since 1992 and a CWOCN since 2003. She currently works for Peace Health Home Medical Group in Alaska. Sue is an educator and author. In addition to nursing in home health and hospital settings, she is also the editor of two wound care education websites.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author, and do not represent the views of WoundSource, Kestrel Health Information, Inc., its affiliates, or subsidiary companies.