Systematic Analysis of 0.9% NaCl Intervention in Acute and Chronic Wound Healing: Orem's Self-Care Perspective
Abstract
Wound care is an integral part of nursing practice aimed at accelerating the healing process, preventing infection-related complications, and improving patients’ quality of life. A 0.9% NaCl solution, or normal saline, is widely used as a wound-cleaning agent due to its isotonic properties that do not damage healthy tissue. Although its use is very common in clinical practice, the effectiveness of this solution in accelerating the healing of acute and chronic wounds remains a topic of debate in the scientific literature. This study aims to systematically review empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of 0.9% NaCl solution in the wound healing process and to evaluate its relevance to Orem’s Self-Care Theory within the context of nursing interventions. This review employed a systematic literature review method by searching literature from various leading academic databases, using strict inclusion criteria to ensure the relevance and quality of the studies. The synthesis results indicate that 0.9% NaCl solution is effective in reducing the risk of infection, supporting granulation tissue growth, and can be applied independently by patients with educational support from nurses. The self-care approach in the use of this solution has been shown to enhance patient participation in wound care, particularly within the supportive-educative nursing system.These findings contribute significantly to evidence-based nursing practice and expand the application of nursing theory in simple, safe, and affordable interventions to support optimal wound healing.
Keywords: Normal saline (0.9% NaCl), wound healing, Orem’s Self-Care Theory
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