Wound Care & Dressing Techniques 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 & Dressing Techniques flashcards as text
A patient with a sacral pressure injury receives negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). Which finding requires the LVN to stop the therapy and notify the provider immediately?
Answer: A visible blood vessel or untreated osteomyelitis in the wound
NPWT is contraindicated when there is an exposed blood vessel or untreated osteomyelitis due to risk of hemorrhage or spreading bone infection.
Which characteristic distinguishes a partial-thickness wound from a full-thickness wound?
Answer: Partial-thickness wounds involve only the epidermis and possibly dermis
Partial-thickness wounds involve the epidermis and possibly dermis and heal by re-epithelialization without granulation tissue.
A patient's wound culture returns positive for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In addition to standard wound care, the LVN should initiate:
Answer: Contact precautions
MRSA is transmitted via direct contact, so contact precautions (gown and gloves) are required to prevent spread.
When applying a hydrocolloid dressing, the LVN should leave a margin of at least how many centimeters of intact skin beyond the wound edge?
Answer: 2.5 cm
Hydrocolloid dressings should extend at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) beyond wound edges to ensure adequate adhesion and seal.
A patient receiving wound care refuses to allow the nurse to perform the dressing change. What is the most appropriate nursing response?
Answer: Document the refusal, notify the provider, and ensure patient understands risks
Competent patients have the right to refuse treatment; the nurse must document the refusal, educate about risks, and notify the provider.
Which type of debridement involves using a wet-to-dry gauze dressing to remove necrotic tissue as the dressing dries and adheres to the wound?
Answer: Mechanical debridement
Wet-to-dry dressings are a form of mechanical debridement where non-selective tissue removal occurs as the dressing adheres and is pulled away.
A patient with a leg wound has periwound maceration. Which intervention should the LVN implement?
Answer: Switch to a more absorbent dressing and apply a moisture barrier to periwound skin
Maceration indicates excess moisture; switching to a more absorbent dressing and protecting the periwound skin with a barrier prevents further tissue breakdown.