Discharge Instructions: Pin Care
You are going home with pins in place. These pins are holding a broken or dislocated bone in place. Here’s what you need to know about home care.
You have a broken or dislocated ___________________ bone.
This bone is located in your ____________. You have _________ pins in place.
These pins are located in the following places: ______________________________________ .
General Guidelines
Clean the skin around the pins twice a day or as often as instructed by your doctor.
Don’t use creams, lotions, or antiseptics unless your doctor says it’s okay.
Prepare Your Supplies
Set up the following supplies on a clean, dry surface:
Peel open the gauze package or set aside some cotton swabs.
Pour the solution into a bowl—enough to cover the bottom of a small salad or soup bowl.
Clean Your Pins
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 15 seconds before cleaning your pins.
Dip the gauze pads or cotton swabs in the bowl of solution.
Squeeze extra solution from the gauze and open the pad.
Clean around each pin site using the soaked gauze pad or cotton swab. Gently press down on the skin, while wiping around and away from each pin.
Remove any crust at the pin site. Use a new gauze pad or cotton swab each time you wipe.
Use a new gauze pad or cotton swab to clean each pin site.
Throw away used gauze pads and cotton swabs into a waterproof waste bag.
Wash your hands after you have finished cleaning your pins.
Follow-Up
Make a follow-up appointment as directed by our staff.
When to Call Your Doctor
Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:
Fever of 100.4°F or higher, or shaking chills
Redness, swelling, or pain at the pin sites
Green or yellow drainage from the pin sites
Pins that move or shift or clicking noises from the pins
Open skin around the pin sites
Tingling or numbness in the injured limb