Wound Care Certification Exam Wound Care Certification Beginner's Guide 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which condition is a contraindication to applying compression therapy for a venous leg ulcer?
- Mild pitting edema
- ABI of 0.85
- Severe peripheral arterial disease (ABI < 0.5) (Correct answer)
- Superficial varicose veins
Correct answer: Severe peripheral arterial disease (ABI < 0.5)
Compression therapy is contraindicated when severe arterial disease is present (ABI < 0.5) because it can critically reduce arterial perfusion and worsen ischemia.
Question 2: A wound care nurse documents 'eschar' in a wound assessment. What is eschar?
- Yellow, stringy, moist necrotic tissue
- Stable, dry, black or brown leathery dead tissue (Correct answer)
- Bright red granulation tissue
- Pale, newly formed epithelial tissue
Correct answer: Stable, dry, black or brown leathery dead tissue
Eschar is thick, hard, dry, and leathery necrotic tissue that is typically black or dark brown in color, and may require debridement unless on a heel wound with stable dry gangrene.
Question 3: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) promotes wound healing primarily by:
- Delivering antibiotics directly to wound tissue
- Applying continuous or intermittent sub-atmospheric pressure to remove exudate and stimulate granulation (Correct answer)
- Maintaining an alkaline wound pH
- Promoting eschar formation over the wound bed
Correct answer: Applying continuous or intermittent sub-atmospheric pressure to remove exudate and stimulate granulation
NPWT (vacuum-assisted closure) applies sub-atmospheric pressure to remove excess fluid, decrease edema, and stimulate perfusion and granulation tissue formation.
Question 4: Which phase of wound healing is characterized by collagen remodeling and scar maturation?
- Hemostasis phase
- Inflammatory phase
- Proliferative phase
- Maturation/remodeling phase (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Maturation/remodeling phase
The maturation or remodeling phase begins approximately 21 days after injury and can last up to 2 years, during which type III collagen is replaced by stronger type I collagen.
Question 5: A patient with a diabetic neuropathic ulcer has 'callus' surrounding the wound. What is the most appropriate initial intervention?
- Apply a thick occlusive dressing over the callus
- Debride the callus to allow proper wound assessment and offloading (Correct answer)
- Prescribe antifungal cream to the callus margins
- Initiate systemic antibiotics immediately
Correct answer: Debride the callus to allow proper wound assessment and offloading
Callus removal (debridement) is essential in diabetic neuropathic ulcers because callus increases plantar pressure and obscures wound depth; debridement improves healing outcomes.
Question 6: Which factor is part of the Braden Scale used to predict pressure injury risk?
- Hemoglobin A1c level
- Sensory perception (Correct answer)
- Ankle-brachial index
- Wound pH
Correct answer: Sensory perception
The Braden Scale assesses pressure injury risk using six subscales: sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction/shear.
Question 7: What is the recommended technique for measuring the depth of a wound tunnel or sinus tract?
- Visual inspection with a penlight
- Insertion of a sterile cotton-tipped applicator or probe until resistance is felt (Correct answer)
- Ultrasound imaging only
- Wound culture swab inserted to maximum depth
Correct answer: Insertion of a sterile cotton-tipped applicator or probe until resistance is felt
A sterile cotton-tipped applicator or wound probe is gently inserted into the tunnel until resistance is felt, then measured against a ruler to determine depth in centimeters.
Wound Care Certification Exam Wound Care Certification Beginner's Guide 4
Which condition is a contraindication to applying compression therapy for a venous leg ulcer?