Wound Care Certification Exam Wound Care Certification Infection Management and Antimicrobials 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which topical antimicrobial is most appropriate for MRSA-infected wounds?
- Bacitracin
- Neomycin
- Silver-containing dressings (Correct answer)
- Petroleum gauze
Correct answer: Silver-containing dressings
Silver-containing dressings have broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity effective against MRSA and are widely used for infected chronic wounds.
Question 2: What is the primary mechanism of action of cadexomer iodine in wound care?
- Absorbs exudate and releases iodine slowly (Correct answer)
- Creates an anaerobic environment
- Directly kills bacteria through heat
- Blocks bacterial protein synthesis
Correct answer: Absorbs exudate and releases iodine slowly
Cadexomer iodine absorbs exudate through its microsphere structure while releasing iodine slowly for sustained antimicrobial activity.
Question 3: Which concentration of povidone-iodine is considered safe for chronic wound use?
- 10%
- 5%
- 0.5% or lower (Correct answer)
- 2%
Correct answer: 0.5% or lower
Concentrations of 0.5% or lower are considered safe for chronic wounds, as higher concentrations are cytotoxic to healing cells.
Question 4: Honey-based wound dressings exert antimicrobial effects primarily through which mechanism?
- High pH environment
- High osmotic pressure and hydrogen peroxide production (Correct answer)
- Enzymatic debridement
- Moisture vapor transmission
Correct answer: High osmotic pressure and hydrogen peroxide production
Medical-grade honey creates high osmotic pressure and generates hydrogen peroxide through glucose oxidase activity, providing antimicrobial effects.
Question 5: Which topical agent should be AVOIDED in wounds with exposed cartilage or bone due to cytotoxicity?
- Cadexomer iodine
- Medical-grade honey
- Full-strength Dakin's solution (Correct answer)
- Silver sulfadiazine
Correct answer: Full-strength Dakin's solution
Full-strength Dakin's solution (0.5% sodium hypochlorite) is highly cytotoxic and should be avoided on viable tissue, exposed bone, or cartilage.
Question 6: How long should topical antimicrobial therapy typically continue before reassessing effectiveness?
- 1-2 days
- 2 weeks (Correct answer)
- 6 weeks
- 3 months
Correct answer: 2 weeks
Topical antimicrobial therapy should be reassessed after 2 weeks to determine if wound bioburden is improving and whether therapy should continue or change.
Wound Care Certification Exam Wound Care Certification Infection Management and Antimicrobials 2
Which topical antimicrobial is most appropriate for MRSA-infected wounds?