Free Wound Care and Dressings MCQs with Answers

50 Wound Care and Dressings MCQs from Fundamentals of Nursing, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

Wound care covers wound classification, healing stages, assessment of tissue and drainage, pain, infection signs, dressing selection and clean or sterile dressing technique. It also includes pressure injuries by stage and the factors affecting healing, such as nutrition, circulation, diabetes, infection and prolonged pressure.

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50 questions · page 2 of 3

  • A. Moist, beefy-red tissue that bleeds easily
  • B. Dry, black tissue firmly attached to the wound
  • C. Yellow, stringy tissue covering the wound base
  • D. Pale, smooth tissue with wound edge separation

Explanation: Healthy granulation tissue is moist and red or pink because it contains new capillaries and connective tissue.

Correct answer: Moist, beefy-red tissue that bleeds easily
  • A. Thin, watery fluid with a pink or light-red colour
  • B. Thick, green fluid with a strong unpleasant odour
  • C. Bright-red blood flowing rapidly from the wound
  • D. Thick, yellow material collected beneath the skin

Explanation: Serosanguineous drainage is a mixture of clear serous fluid and a small amount of blood, giving it a pale pink or light-red appearance.

Correct answer: Thin, watery fluid with a pink or light-red colour
Moderate
  • A. A transparent film dressing
  • B. A large gauze dressing packed tightly
  • C. A dry alginate dressing
  • D. A thick abdominal binder alone

Explanation: A transparent film protects a superficial wound from contamination and friction while allowing inspection of the wound.

Correct answer: A transparent film dressing
Hard
  • A. A dry wound with slough and minimal drainage
  • B. A wound producing large amounts of watery drainage
  • C. A clean wound requiring compression for oedema
  • D. A heavily bleeding wound requiring immediate pressure

Explanation: Hydrogels add moisture and can support softening of dry slough in wounds with little drainage.

Correct answer: A dry wound with slough and minimal drainage
Fairly easy
  • A. Stage 1
  • B. Stage 2
  • C. Stage 3
  • D. Stage 4

Explanation: Stage 4 pressure injury involves full-thickness skin and tissue loss with exposed or directly palpable fascia, muscle, tendon, cartilage…

Correct answer: Stage 4
Hard
  • A. Inspecting colour, temperature, and capillary refill around the wound
  • B. Asking whether the patient prefers a larger dressing
  • C. Checking whether the previous tape was difficult to remove
  • D. Measuring the patient's oral fluid intake for one hour

Explanation: Colour, temperature, and capillary refill provide useful information about local circulation, which is essential for tissue repair.

Correct answer: Inspecting colour, temperature, and capillary refill around the wound
  • A. Cleanse the wound as prescribed and collect from viable tissue
  • B. Apply antibiotic ointment and collect from the old dressing
  • C. Collect drainage from the surrounding intact skin
  • D. Start the prescribed antibiotic and collect the sample later

Explanation: The wound is cleansed first, and the specimen is collected from viable tissue or fresh drainage according to local policy.

Correct answer: Cleanse the wound as prescribed and collect from viable tissue
  • A. Gently assess the tract with a sterile applicator and document its direction
  • B. Insert a finger forcefully until resistance is felt
  • C. Pack the tract tightly before recording its length
  • D. Estimate the tract from the amount of drainage present

Explanation: A sterile applicator can gently identify the direction and extent of tunnelling without forcing tissue apart.

Correct answer: Gently assess the tract with a sterile applicator and document its direction
  • A. The wound edges are approximated with sutures or staples
  • B. The wound remains open and fills with granulation tissue
  • C. The wound is closed after extensive granulation develops
  • D. The wound heals from the base without edge approximation

Explanation: Primary intention occurs when clean wound edges are brought together with sutures, staples, or adhesive.

Correct answer: The wound edges are approximated with sutures or staples
  • A. Neutrophil
  • B. Erythrocyte
  • C. Platelet
  • D. Lymphocyte

Explanation: Neutrophils migrate early to the wound and help destroy bacteria and remove cellular debris.

Correct answer: Neutrophil
Fairly easy
  • A. Wound dehiscence
  • B. Wound evisceration
  • C. Wound contraction
  • D. Wound epithelialisation

Explanation: Dehiscence means partial or complete separation of wound layers, often involving a surgical incision.

Correct answer: Wound dehiscence
Very hard
  • A. Deep tissue pressure injury
  • B. Stage 1 pressure injury
  • C. Stage 2 pressure injury
  • D. Unstageable pressure injury

Explanation: A deep tissue pressure injury may present with intact or non-intact skin, persistent maroon or purple discoloration, or a blood-filled…

Correct answer: Deep tissue pressure injury
Moderate
  • A. Venous insufficiency
  • B. Arterial embolism
  • C. Acute lymphatic obstruction
  • D. Excessive arterial perfusion

Explanation: Venous insufficiency commonly causes lower-leg ulcers near the ankle, oedema, irregular wound edges, and hemosiderin-related brown skin…

Correct answer: Venous insufficiency
Moderate
  • A. Hydrocolloid dressing
  • B. Dry gauze packing
  • C. Transparent film only
  • D. Rigid foam board

Explanation: Hydrocolloid dressings form a moist gel over clean, shallow wounds with low to moderate exudate and can support autolytic debridement.

Correct answer: Hydrocolloid dressing
Very hard
  • A. For a chronic wound with no entry into a sterile body cavity
  • B. For a fresh wound during the first postoperative hour
  • C. For a wound connected to a sterile drain system
  • D. For a dressing applied directly inside an open joint

Explanation: Clean technique may be appropriate for selected chronic wounds when the procedure does not enter a sterile body cavity and local policy…

Correct answer: For a chronic wound with no entry into a sterile body cavity
  • A. Vitamin C
  • B. Vitamin D
  • C. Vitamin K
  • D. Vitamin B12

Explanation: Vitamin C is needed for collagen formation and supports connective tissue repair.

Correct answer: Vitamin C
  • A. Keep the leg in a dependent position and assess perfusion
  • B. Elevate the leg above heart level for most of the day
  • C. Apply a tight elastic bandage around the affected limb
  • D. Massage the ulcer area to improve circulation

Explanation: Arterial insufficiency commonly causes pain with elevation because gravity reduces blood flow to the distal tissues.

Correct answer: Keep the leg in a dependent position and assess perfusion
Fairly easy
  • A. New thin pink skin grows across the wound surface
  • B. The wound becomes covered with thick yellow slough
  • C. The surrounding area develops increasing warmth and purulent fluid
  • D. The wound edges become black and dry

Explanation: Epithelialisation occurs when new epithelial cells migrate across the wound surface, producing thin pink or pearly new skin.

Correct answer: New thin pink skin grows across the wound surface
  • A. Collagen is reorganised and tensile strength increases
  • B. Neutrophils migrate into the wound and remove bacteria
  • C. Platelets form a clot and stop active bleeding
  • D. Fibroblasts begin depositing new collagen fibres

Explanation: During remodelling, collagen fibres are reorganised and the wound gradually gains strength, although healed tissue does not regain full…

Correct answer: Collagen is reorganised and tensile strength increases
Fairly easy
  • A. Healing by primary intention
  • B. Healing by secondary intention
  • C. Healing by tertiary intention
  • D. Healing by epithelial intention

Explanation: Secondary intention occurs when wound edges cannot be approximated, so the wound fills with granulation tissue and contracts before…

Correct answer: Healing by secondary intention