Wound Care Certification Exam Wound Care Certification Knowledge 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A wound that is described as 'undermining' means:
- Wound edges are rolled inward
- Tissue destruction extends under intact skin beyond the wound margin (Correct answer)
- The wound base has slough covering more than 50%
- The wound has sinus tracts extending to bone
Correct answer: Tissue destruction extends under intact skin beyond the wound margin
Undermining refers to destruction of tissue beneath intact skin surrounding the wound perimeter.
Question 2: Which topical antimicrobial agent is recommended for wounds with suspected biofilm due to its broad-spectrum and low cytotoxicity profile?
- Povidone-iodine
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Medical-grade honey (Correct answer)
- Acetic acid
Correct answer: Medical-grade honey
Medical-grade honey (e.g., Manuka) has broad antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity with low cytotoxicity to host cells.
Question 3: Contact dermatitis around a wound is most commonly caused by:
- Systemic antibiotic therapy
- Adhesive components in wound dressings (Correct answer)
- Wound exudate
- Compression bandages over intact skin
Correct answer: Adhesive components in wound dressings
Adhesives and acrylates in wound dressings are a leading cause of peri-wound contact dermatitis.
Question 4: When documenting wound dimensions, the standard convention for measuring length is:
- Widest horizontal measurement
- Head-to-toe (12 o'clock to 6 o'clock) axis (Correct answer)
- Diagonal measurement
- Measurement parallel to the wound edge
Correct answer: Head-to-toe (12 o'clock to 6 o'clock) axis
Length is measured along the head-to-toe axis (12–6 o'clock orientation) regardless of wound shape.
Question 5: Which growth factor is primarily responsible for stimulating fibroblast proliferation during wound healing?
- Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) (Correct answer)
- Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
- Epidermal growth factor (EGF)
- Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α)
Correct answer: Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)
PDGF released from platelets is the principal chemoattractant and mitogen for fibroblasts in early wound healing.
Question 6: A patient develops hypergranulation (proud flesh) in a chronic wound. The most appropriate initial intervention is:
- Increase NPWT pressure
- Apply silver nitrate or foam dressing with compression (Correct answer)
- Switch to a hydrogel dressing
- Begin systemic steroids
Correct answer: Apply silver nitrate or foam dressing with compression
Hypergranulation is managed by chemical cauterization with silver nitrate sticks or foam dressings that apply light compression to reduce overgrowth.
Question 7: Malnutrition impairs wound healing primarily by reducing availability of which substrate needed for collagen synthesis?
- Glucose
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin C and amino acids (Correct answer)
- Omega-3 fatty acids
Correct answer: Vitamin C and amino acids
Collagen synthesis requires vitamin C (ascorbic acid) as a co-factor and amino acids (especially proline and glycine) as building blocks.
Wound Care Certification Exam Wound Care Certification Knowledge 4
A wound that is described as 'undermining' means: