HAC Wound Care & Skin Integrity 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of applying a wound dressing?
- To make the wound look better
- To protect the wound from contamination and support healing (Correct answer)
- To stop all drainage from the wound
- To numb the wound area
Correct answer: To protect the wound from contamination and support healing
Wound dressings protect the wound from contamination, maintain a moist healing environment, and absorb exudate to support the healing process.
Question 2: What type of wound is caused by prolonged, unrelieved pressure on the skin over a bony prominence?
- Laceration
- Abrasion
- Pressure injury (Correct answer)
- Surgical wound
Correct answer: Pressure injury
Pressure injuries (also called pressure ulcers or bedsores) result from sustained pressure that restricts blood flow to tissues overlying bony prominences.
Question 3: A Stage 2 pressure injury is characterized by which of the following?
- Intact skin with non-blanchable redness
- Partial-thickness skin loss with a shallow open wound or intact blister (Correct answer)
- Full-thickness skin loss with visible subcutaneous fat
- Full-thickness tissue loss with exposed bone, tendon, or muscle
Correct answer: Partial-thickness skin loss with a shallow open wound or intact blister
Stage 2 pressure injuries involve partial-thickness skin loss presenting as a shallow open ulcer with a pink or red wound bed, or as an intact or ruptured serum-filled blister.
Question 4: What should a healthcare aide do first upon noticing a new wound on a patient during routine care?
- Apply an antibiotic ointment immediately
- Report the finding to the supervising nurse or charge nurse (Correct answer)
- Cover it with any available dressing
- Ask the patient if it hurts before doing anything
Correct answer: Report the finding to the supervising nurse or charge nurse
Healthcare aides must report new wounds to the supervising nurse immediately so a licensed clinician can assess, document, and order appropriate treatment.
Question 5: Which of the following observations indicates a wound may be infected?
- Clear, odorless drainage
- Wound edges beginning to close
- Increased redness, warmth, swelling, and purulent (pus) drainage (Correct answer)
- Mild pink discoloration around the wound
Correct answer: Increased redness, warmth, swelling, and purulent (pus) drainage
Classic signs of wound infection include increased erythema, warmth, edema, purulent drainage, foul odor, and possibly fever or increased pain.
Question 6: What does the term 'skin integrity' mean in a healthcare context?
- The color of the patient's skin
- The unbroken, healthy condition of the skin as a protective barrier (Correct answer)
- The patient's personal hygiene habits
- The amount of moisture in the skin
Correct answer: The unbroken, healthy condition of the skin as a protective barrier
Skin integrity refers to the skin being whole and intact, functioning as an effective barrier against infection, fluid loss, and environmental hazards.
Question 7: When removing an old wound dressing, a healthcare aide should:
- Pull it off quickly to minimize discomfort
- Wet or loosen it gently if it is adhered, and remove it toward the wound center (Correct answer)
- Always use scissors to cut it off
- Remove it only when the patient is asleep
Correct answer: Wet or loosen it gently if it is adhered, and remove it toward the wound center
Adhered dressings should be moistened with saline or water and removed gently toward the wound center to prevent trauma to healing tissue.
HAC Wound Care & Skin Integrity 1
What is the primary purpose of applying a wound dressing?