OSCE OSCE Wound Care and Dressings 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient has a stage III pressure ulcer with heavy exudate and no signs of infection. Which dressing type is MOST appropriate?
- Dry gauze dressing
- Alginate dressing (Correct answer)
- Transparent film dressing
- Hydrocolloid dressing
Correct answer: Alginate dressing
Alginate dressings are highly absorbent and ideal for heavily exuding wounds such as stage III pressure ulcers.
Question 2: When performing a wound irrigation, what is the recommended pressure range to effectively cleanse without causing tissue damage?
- 1–4 psi
- 4–15 psi (Correct answer)
- 16–25 psi
- 26–35 psi
Correct answer: 4–15 psi
The recommended irrigation pressure is 4–15 psi, which is sufficient to remove debris without damaging granulation tissue.
Question 3: A wound shows yellow slough covering 60% of the wound bed. Which debridement method is considered the most selective and least painful?
- Sharp debridement
- Mechanical debridement
- Enzymatic debridement
- Autolytic debridement (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Autolytic debridement
Autolytic debridement uses the body's own enzymes under an occlusive dressing and is the most selective and least painful method.
Question 4: Which clinical finding would indicate a wound is in the inflammatory phase of healing?
- Wound contraction and scar formation
- Collagen deposition and remodeling
- Erythema, warmth, and edema around the wound (Correct answer)
- Epithelial migration across the wound surface
Correct answer: Erythema, warmth, and edema around the wound
Erythema, warmth, swelling, and pain are hallmarks of the normal inflammatory phase occurring in the first 1–4 days after injury.
Question 5: A patient is allergic to latex. Which wound dressing component should you avoid?
- Hydrocolloid adhesive backing
- Elastic bandage containing natural rubber (Correct answer)
- Silver-impregnated foam
- Calcium alginate fiber
Correct answer: Elastic bandage containing natural rubber
Natural rubber latex is found in many elastic bandages and can trigger allergic reactions in latex-sensitive patients.
Question 6: When documenting wound dimensions using the clock method, which direction is designated as 12 o'clock?
- Toward the patient's left side
- Toward the patient's feet
- Toward the patient's head (Correct answer)
- Toward the patient's right side
Correct answer: Toward the patient's head
By convention, 12 o'clock always points toward the patient's head (superior direction) when using the clock method for wound documentation.
Question 7: A diabetic patient's foot wound has a wound temperature significantly cooler than surrounding tissue. This finding most likely suggests:
- Active infection with abscess formation
- Inadequate perfusion to the wound area (Correct answer)
- Presence of biofilm on the wound surface
- Normal granulation tissue development
Correct answer: Inadequate perfusion to the wound area
A wound that is cooler than surrounding tissue suggests poor perfusion, which is common in diabetic peripheral vascular disease.
OSCE OSCE Wound Care and Dressings 2
A patient has a stage III pressure ulcer with heavy exudate and no signs of infection.
Which dressing type is MOST appropriate?