Measuring wound exudate has always been a subjective “guess” by the clinician documenting a wound, but identifying the correct amount of exudate is important as it qualifies the type of dressing and frequency of dressing changes that are appropriate in managing the wound. Changes in exudate amount and consistency can also indicate problems such as infection and can slow down or prevent cell proliferation.
Terminology is important in quantifying the amount of exudate/drainage we document in a wound. The simpler, the better: the standard terminology is: “None”, “Light”, “Moderate” or “Heavy.”
Consistency is also important: your facility should be using THE SAME terminology when documenting exudate.
How to accurately define wound exudate with a visual inspection
“Light” Exudate
Less than 5cc of wound fluid within a 24 hr period
Front and back of Gentell’s Waterproof 4×4 foam dressing
5cc = 1 teaspoon
“Moderate” Exudate
5cc – 10cc of wound fluid within a 24 hr period
Front and back of Gentell’s Waterproof 4×4 foam dressing
Note minimal strike-through on back or dressing (right)
“Heavy” Exudate
Greater than 10cc of wound fluid within a 24 hr period
Front and back of Gentell’s Waterproof 4×4 foam dressing
