Wound Care Flashcards
7 cards from real LVN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Wound Care flashcards as text
A Stage II pressure injury is best characterized by which finding?
Answer: Partial-thickness skin loss with a shallow open bed or intact blister
Stage II pressure injuries involve partial-thickness skin loss presenting as a shallow open wound or intact/ruptured serum-filled blister.
When documenting a wound, the LVN notes the wound edges are 'undermined.' What does this mean?
Answer: Tissue destruction extends under intact skin beyond the wound margins
Undermining refers to tissue destruction that extends under the surrounding intact skin, creating a pocket around the wound edge.
Which type of wound exudate suggests a high bacterial bioburden and potential infection?
Answer: Purulent — thick, opaque, green or yellow
Purulent exudate (thick, yellow, green, or tan) indicates the presence of white blood cells and bacteria, signaling infection.
The LVN is caring for a patient with a venous leg ulcer. Which characteristic finding differentiates it from an arterial ulcer?
Answer: Shallow ulcer with irregular edges and brownish skin discoloration around it
Venous ulcers are typically shallow with irregular edges, located around the medial malleolus, and surrounded by hyperpigmented (brownish) skin.
A patient's surgical wound is healing by secondary intention. What does this indicate?
Answer: The wound is left open and heals from the base up by granulation tissue
Secondary intention healing occurs when a wound is left open and fills in from the bottom up through granulation tissue formation.
Which action is most appropriate when the LVN observes bright red drainage soaking through a post-operative dressing 1 hour after surgery?
Answer: Reinforce the dressing and notify the charge nurse or physician immediately
Bright red saturation of a dressing within the first hour post-op suggests hemorrhage; the dressing should be reinforced and the provider notified immediately.
When measuring a wound for documentation, how should the LVN correctly record wound dimensions?
Answer: Length × Width × Depth (using clock positions: 12 o'clock = head)
Standard wound documentation uses length (head-to-toe, 12–6 o'clock) × width (side-to-side, 3–9 o'clock) × depth in centimeters.