CFN Wound Assessment and Injury Documentation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of wound is at HIGHEST risk of appearing smaller than the actual instrument due to tissue elasticity?
- Stab wound (Correct answer)
- Contusion
- Abrasion
- Burn
Correct answer: Stab wound
Stab wounds appear smaller than the actual blade width because elastic skin tissue retracts after the knife is withdrawn, underestimating the true weapon size.
Question 2: Petechial hemorrhages in the conjunctiva are MOST classically associated with which injury mechanism?
- Asphyxiation or strangulation (Correct answer)
- Blunt force head trauma
- Chemical ocular exposure
- Thermal injury to the face
Correct answer: Asphyxiation or strangulation
Petechiae in the conjunctiva result from increased venous pressure during asphyxiation or strangulation causing rupture of tiny capillaries above the compression point.
Question 3: An abrasion with parallel linear striations all oriented in the same direction is MOST consistent with:
- Sliding or dragging across a surface (Correct answer)
- Compression against a rough surface
- Impact from a rounded blunt object
- Rotational friction burn
Correct answer: Sliding or dragging across a surface
Directional sliding abrasions leave parallel linear marks indicating the direction of movement, providing forensic clues about the victim's body position during injury.
Question 4: When documenting injuries in forensic photography, what series approach is ALWAYS required?
- Overall, mid-range, and close-up views with a scale ruler (Correct answer)
- Close-up detailed shots only
- Video documentation only
- Patient face shot followed by injury only
Correct answer: Overall, mid-range, and close-up views with a scale ruler
Forensic photography requires systematic overall orientation, mid-range context, and close-up detail shots with a measuring scale for complete, court-admissible documentation.
Question 5: Which characteristic BEST distinguishes an incised wound from a laceration on visual inspection?
- Clean, sharp edges vs. torn, irregular edges (Correct answer)
- Depth vs. surface area ratio
- Anatomic location on the body
- Presence or absence of wound margin bruising
Correct answer: Clean, sharp edges vs. torn, irregular edges
Incised wounds from sharp instruments have clean, well-defined edges, while lacerations from blunt force have irregular, torn edges often with tissue bridging.
Question 6: Which finding is MOST specific for strangulation injury even when external neck marks are absent?
- Petechial hemorrhages above the compression point (Correct answer)
- Tachycardia alone
- Elevated blood pressure alone
- Neck pain without visible injury
Correct answer: Petechial hemorrhages above the compression point
Petechiae above the area of strangulation compression occur due to increased venous pressure and are present even when no visible external neck marks appear.
Question 7: When a patient presents with injury patterns inconsistent with the stated mechanism of injury, the forensic nurse should FIRST:
- Document the discrepancy objectively without accusation (Correct answer)
- Report to law enforcement immediately
- Confront the patient directly about the inconsistency
- Discharge the patient to a safe location
Correct answer: Document the discrepancy objectively without accusation
Objective, non-accusatory documentation of injury-history inconsistencies is the forensic nurse's primary responsibility, preserving medical record integrity and forensic evidentiary value.
CFN Wound Assessment and Injury Documentation 2
Which type of wound is at HIGHEST risk of appearing smaller than the actual instrument due to tissue elasticity?