PCT PCT Wound Care 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the first step a PCT should take before performing a dressing change?
- Gather all necessary supplies
- Remove the old dressing
- Wash hands and don gloves (Correct answer)
- Document the wound appearance
Correct answer: Wash hands and don gloves
Hand hygiene and gloving before wound care is the first priority to prevent infection transmission.
Question 2: Which type of wound healing occurs when surgical incision edges are sutured together?
- Tertiary intention
- Primary intention (Correct answer)
- Secondary intention
- Delayed closure
Correct answer: Primary intention
Primary intention healing occurs when wound edges are closely approximated, as with sutured surgical incisions.
Question 3: A wound with yellow, foul-smelling exudate most likely indicates:
- Normal healing progress
- Wound infection (Correct answer)
- Patient dehydration
- An allergic reaction to dressing
Correct answer: Wound infection
Purulent, foul-smelling exudate is a classic sign of wound infection requiring nurse notification.
Question 4: A Stage 2 pressure injury is characterized by:
- Intact skin with non-blanchable redness
- Partial thickness skin loss with exposed dermis (Correct answer)
- Full thickness skin loss with visible fat
- Full thickness tissue loss with exposed bone
Correct answer: Partial thickness skin loss with exposed dermis
Stage 2 pressure injuries involve partial thickness skin loss presenting as a shallow open ulcer with a pink or red wound bed.
Question 5: Which solution is most appropriate for routine wound irrigation?
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Povidone-iodine
- Normal saline (Correct answer)
- Isopropyl alcohol
Correct answer: Normal saline
Normal saline is isotonic and non-toxic to healing tissue, making it the preferred wound irrigation solution.
Question 6: A patient's wound begins to bleed excessively during a dressing change. The PCT should:
- Apply direct pressure and immediately notify the nurse (Correct answer)
- Remove the bandage fully to assess the wound
- Apply ice directly on the wound surface
- Administer pain medication to calm the patient
Correct answer: Apply direct pressure and immediately notify the nurse
Applying direct pressure controls bleeding while the PCT immediately notifies the nurse for further assessment and intervention.
PCT PCT Wound Care 1
What is the first step a PCT should take before performing a dressing change?