Check the doctors order for suture removal. Assemble your tools and wash your hands.
Identify the patient. Assess the wound for appropriate healing and note any signs of infection. If any infection is apparent, or healing seems inadequate contact the doctor before proceeding.
Cleanse the wound with an antiseptic cleanser. To remove any dried blood and loosen any scar tissue. Explain the procedure to the patient. They may feel a slight pinch or pull as the suture is removed but it should be painless. Using sterile forceps with your non dominant hand gently lift the suture at the knot. Using suture scissors clip the thread as close to the skin as possible. Lift the suture out with the forceps. Gently tug on the suture to remove if needed.
Assess healing as you remove each stitch. You can remove each stitch in succession or skip every other one until you reach the end and then return to the top end remove the rest of them.
When all the sutures have been removed reswab the area with antiseptic.
Apply adhesive strips or a dry dressing as needed per doctors orders. Reve gloves and wash your hands. Document the procedure and include description of how well the patient tolerated the procedure. Any drainage redness bleeding etc. (i.e. 10 sutures removed from patients left arm skin tear. No bleeding, redness or signs of infection present. Edges are well approximated. Area was swabbed with normal saline prior to and after suture removal. 5 steri strips applied. Patient tolerated procedure.
Different parts of the body heal at different intervals. Common time to remove stitch wounds is 3-5 days scalp wounds 7-10 days, limbs 10-14 days, joints 14 days. If you snip the suture as close to the body as possible minimal suture will be pulled reducing the pinching pulling sensation for the patient. It also reduces the risk of infection being pulled through on the sutures.
Not all stitches must be removed. If a small area remains unhealed notify the doctor as sutures can only be removes from healed areas only
Sutures removal kit
Steri-strips
Antiseptic
Gloves
Dressing supply