• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Course Login
  • Register

WoundEducators.com | Online Wound Care Certification Courses

Your online source for wound care certification.

  • Courses
  • About Us
    • Risk-Free Guarantee
    • Accredited Wound Care Course Info
    • Student Testimonials
    • Our Mission to Help
  • Why Certify?
    • What’s Included
    • How Hard is Wound Care Certification?
    • Wound Care Certification Cost
    • Wound Care Certification for Nurses
    • Getting Started: Wound Care Certification
  • Resources
    • Sign up for Our Newsletter
    • Search Wound Care Jobs
    • Post a Wound Care Job
    • Submit Your Resume
    • I Completed My Wound Care Course – Now What?
    • Wound Care Recertification Process
  • Certifications
    • Compare Wound Care Certification Options
    • ABWM® Wound Care Certifications
      • The CWS® Certification
      • The CWCA® Certification
      • The CWSP® Wound Care Certification
    • The WCC® Certification
    • The AWCC® Wound Care Certification
    • The CWCN® Certification
  • Blog
  • FAQ’s
  • Contact

Modalities Utilized in Wound Healing- Whirlpool

July 15, 2015 2 Comments

56
SHARES
ShareTweetGoogle +Linkedin
PinterestRedditTumblrStumbleuponDiggDelicious

whirlpoolContinuing on in our series on modalities used in wound management, this week we’ll cover whirlpool, including its indications, contraindications and advantages over other wound care modalities.

Functions of Whirlpool

Whirlpool was initially reserved as a method of debridement for patients who had suffered burns. Today, whirlpool is used much more extensively and serves a variety of purposes, including:

  • Helps to remove debris and surface bacteria/contamination
  • Decreases wound pain and fever
  • Helps to remove dressings that have adhered to the wound bed

Indications/Precautions

Whirlpool is typically used in the management of wounds that have not healed or that have stalled in the progression of healing. It is also used for wounds that have large amounts of necrotic tissue that must be removed.

How to Perform

There are two main types of whirlpool, immersion and showering. The steps involved in the immersion technique are as follows:

  • Fill the whirlpool receptacle, leaving enough room for displacement once the patient (or body part) has been immersed.
  • Maintain the recommended temperature, between 92 and 98°F for small whirlpools and slightly warmer for whirlpool tubs that the patient will be fully immersed in. Do not exceed 102°
  • Expose the area to be treated, removing any dressings. Dressings that have adhered to the wound or periwound area can be soaked off prior to starting the turbine.
  • Adjust the turbine to ensure it is in the correct position and that the force of flow is adequate.
  • Aim for 10 to 20 minutes of whirlpool therapy- longer if there is hardened necrotic tissue, less if adherent tissue is soft or the wound bed is very fragile.
  • Debridement may be performed during therapy (with the turbines off).
  • Once treatment has been completed, dry intact skin with a towel. Leave the wound open to air or pat dry with sterile gauze; alternately, you may cover the wound with a sterile drape.
  • Consider irrigating the wound following whirlpool therapy, as this has been shown to remove up to four times as much bacteria than whirlpool alone.
  • Dress the wound, performing any measurements or other interventions as necessary.

When using the showering technique, the affected area is positioned over the empty whirlpool receptacle and the wound is sprayed with water at a temperature of 92 to 98°F.

Patient Considerations

Prior to the first whirlpool session, you should explain the purpose and steps to the patient, ensuring that they understand the procedure. The patient should be draped appropriately for modesty. Patients who are to be fully immersed may wear a gown or shorts in the whirlpool tub. Some patients may benefit from pain medication prior to whirlpool therapy, especially if debridement is to be performed during therapy. Remember to wear appropriate barrier devices to prevent exposure to splash injury.

Advantages/Disadvantages

Whirlpool therapy can increase comfort and is highly conducive to debridement. Whirlpool therapy can be performed in a variety of settings and is highly effective at irrigating and/or debriding wounds, particularly large wounds that would be difficult to debride elsewhere. Disadvantages include the possibility of wound overhydration and maceration of the periwound. There is also the risk of cross-contamination unless strict guidelines are followed for cleaning of the whirlpool tub and equipment. Whirlpool therapy is expensive in terms of personnel time and costs associated with set up, cleaning and maintenance.

This is the second in a series of articles that will lead you through most of the electrotherapeutic, physical and mechanical modalities used in wound care today. Visit Wound Educators weekly to follow our series.

If you are interested in wound care management, visit Wound Educators to get the latest information in wound care. Interested in becoming at certified wound care practitioner? Wound educators has a course designed especially for you. Contact us if you have questions or require further information.

Sources:

Tao, H., Butler, J. & Luttrell, T. (2012). The role of whirlpool in wound care. J Am Coll Clin Wound Spec. Mar: 4(1); pg. 7-12.

Perry, A., Potter, P. & Ostendorf, W. (2013). Clinical Nursing Skills and Techniques. 8th edition. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Categories: Wound Types

About the Author

Laurie Swezey's avatar

Laurie Swezey, founder and president of WoundEducators.com, has been a Registered Nurse for more than a quarter century, with most of those years dedicated to wound treatment. Ms. Swezey is a Certified Wound Care Nurse and a Certified Wound Specialist.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marilyn Prior, PT says

    February 25, 2019 at 10:58 pm

    Hello.. I am a physical therapist with 37 years of wound care experience.. a sterile whirlpool with chlorazene as an additive, debridement and rinse with saline when through.. apply triple antibiotic or A and D. Petroleum around the edge of the wound to prevent maceration and silvadene cream on the wound bed works great. Alevyne foam dressing on bony prominences such as heals work great. Also, whirlpool does not have to be expensive!
    Marilyn Prior, PT

    Reply
  2. Heather Williamson says

    October 10, 2019 at 9:43 am

    Hi Marilyn-
    Thanks for your comment. What protocol do you follow for cleaning/ sterilizing your whirlpool and what products do you recommend?
    Thanks so much
    Heather Williamson

    Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

sidebar

Blog Sidebar

Free Preview!

Sign up for our newsletter and enjoy a Free Preview of our Wound Care Certification Course!

Support Our “Where There’s a Wound, There’s a Way!™” Foundation

fundraiser logo

Join our “Where There’s a Wound, There’s a Way!™” fundraising campaign  Learn more

Payment Information

All major credit cards & PayPal accepted. All transactions are performed via a SSL secure server to ensure your privacy.

payments accepted visa mastercard amex discover paypal

Copyright © 2009-2018 | WoundEducators.com | All Rights Reserved
Wound Care Certification Courses Risk Free Guarantee | Terms and Policies | Sitemap

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.

CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Functional

Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

Performance

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

Analytics

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

Advertisement

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

Others

Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.

SAVE & ACCEPT