The nurse is teaching the parents of a 6-year-old who has sustained a large laceration about providing care to the wound at home. the nurse determines that the parents need additional teaching when they state:

"We need to keep the wound tightly bandaged for at least 3 days." If a wound is large, it can be covered by a loose dressing, which is changed in about 12 hours and redressed after the wound is cleaned. The wound is then left open to the air after 24 hours have passed from the time of the injury. :)