What is sterile dressing?

• A. Sterile material used to cover a wound
• B. Non-sterile dressings
• C. Wound care
• D. Wound packing

Answer: (A)

A sterile dressing is sterile material used to cover a wound, creating a clean, protective barrier that helps keep bacteria out, absorbs drainage, and supports a healthy healing environment. The sterile nature is crucial because using non-sterile material can introduce infection, which is why this definition is the most accurate. Dressing, in general, means covering a wound, but a sterile dressing specifically emphasizes applying sterile material to minimize contamination, whereas wound packing involves filling a wound cavity with gauze to absorb drainage rather than simply covering the surface.