Deck 13: Surgical Wound Care

Question 1

To assist the postoperative patient to cough,the nurse:

A) supports the patient's back.
B) offers an antitussive.
C) splints the abdomen with a pillow.
D) leans patient against the bedside table.

Answer 1

splints the abdomen with a pillow.

Question 2

When blood and fluid flow into the vascular space and produce edema,erythema,heat,and pain,the nurse knows that the wound is in which phase?

A) Healing
B) Inflammatory
C) Reconstruction
D) Maturation

Answer 2

Inflammatory

Question 3

The nurse informs a patient that a wet-to-dry dressing is applied wet and allowed to dry.This drying process causes it to adhere to the wound,which when removed results in:

A) destruction of tissue.
B) bleeding.
C) mechanical debridement.
D) prevention of infection.

Answer 3

mechanical debridement.

Question 4

The nurse explains that the advantage of an occlusive dressing is that it:

A) allows air to the incision.
B) keeps the incision moist.
C) delays epithelialization.
D) does not have to be changed.

Question 5

The usual length of time before suture removal is:

A) 2 to 3 days.
B) 4 to 5 days.
C) 5 to 6 days.
D) 7 to 10 days.

Question 6

Primary intention has a marked advantage over other phases of wound healing because:

A) healing is rapid.
B) healing rarely becomes infected.
C) minimal scarring results.
D) healing is painless.

Question 7

The nurse instructs the patient in home wound irrigation to hold the hand-held showerhead approximately ______ inches from the wound .

A) 2.5
B) 6
C) 12
D) 18

Question 8

For the first 24 hours following surgery,the nurse assesses for bleeding by observing the dressing and the area under the patient every:

A) 30 minutes.
B) 60 minutes.
C) 2 to 4 hours.
D) 5 to 8 hours.

Question 9

The nurse is removing every other staple from a surgical wound,which has been closed with 15 staples.If the wound begins to separate after removal of 3 of the 15 staples,the nurse should:

A) remove 7 more alternate staples and securely tape with Steri-Strips.
B) cover with moist dressing and apply a binder.
C) continue to remove staples as ordered because this is an expected outcome.
D) leave the 12 staples in place and record the separation.

Question 10

To keep the patient comfortable during a dressing change,the nurse may administer an analgesic:

A) after the dressing change.
B) at least 15 minutes before the dressing change.
C) at least 30 minutes before the dressing change.
D) at least 1 hour before the dressing change.

Question 11

The day following surgery,the nurse notes bloody drainage on the dressing.The nurse will record this drainage as:

A) serosanguineous.
B) sanguineous.
C) serous.
D) purulent.

Question 12

The nurse follows the basic concept of wound irrigation when directing the flow of the irrigant:

A) from the area of least contamination to the area of most contamination.
B) forcefully into the wound.
C) gently over the skin into the wound.
D) from a distance of about 12 inches.

Question 13

The nurse carefully measures drainage during the first 24 hours after surgery on a patient with a Jackson-Pratt drain.It is considered abnormal if the drainage exceeds:

A) 50 mL.
B) 100 mL.
C) 200 mL.
D) 300 mL.

Question 14

During assessment of a postoperative patient,the nurse discovers that the pulse is rapid,blood pressure has decreased,urinary output has decreased,and the dressing is dry.The nurse recognizes these findings as indicative of:

A) pain shock.
B) dehydration.
C) internal hemorrhage.
D) acute infection.

Question 15

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)classifies wounds according to the amount of contamination.An uninfected surgical wound with less than a 5% chance of becoming infected postoperatively is classified as a:

A) dirty wound.
B) clean-contaminated wound.
C) contaminated wound.
D) clean wound.

Question 16

When the nurse discovers that the gauze dressing has adhered to the wound,the nurse should:

A) call the RN.
B) gently remove the gauze with sterile forceps.
C) cover with occlusive dressing.
D) moisten the dressing with sterile water.

Question 17

Hemostasis begins as soon as the injury occurs and a clot begins to form.The substance in the clot that holds the wound together is:

A) fibrin.
B) thrombin.
C) protime.
D) calcium.

Question 18

The nurse observes a loop of bowel protruding from the surgical incision.The nurse's initial intervention should be to:

A) call the RN.
B) cover the bowel with a sterile saline dressing.
C) turn the patient to the side of the evisceration.
D) raise the patient up to a high Fowler's position.

Question 19

Because the physician has not ordered a dressing change for a draining wound,the nurse should assess the amount of drainage by:

A) weighing the patient to estimate the weight of the saturated dressing.
B) reinforcing the dressing.
C) circling and dating the outline of the exudate on the dressing.
D) counting each dressing as 1 mL of drainage.

Question 20

The nurse instructs a patient who has a drain in a surgical wound that the wound will heal by:

A) primary intention.
B) secondary intention.
C) tertiary intention.
D) deliberate intention.

Question 21

The nurse assessing a patient's wound notes thick,yellow drainage.The nurse documents this finding as:

A) serous drainage.
B) purulent drainage.
C) sanguineous drainage.
D) serosanguineous drainage.

Question 22

Which are the phases of wound healing? (Select all that apply.)

A) Reconstruction
B) Hemostasis
C) Inflammatory
D) Granulation
E) Maturation

Question 23

When preparing to remove a dressing,the nurse should don __________ gloves.

Question 24

The nurse instructing a patient about the effects of diabetes mellitus informs the patient that diabetes mellitus:

A) improves overall tissue perfusion.
B) promotes release of oxygen to tissues.
C) causes hemoglobin to have a greater affinity for oxygen.
D) causes hemoglobin to have a decreased affinity for oxygen.

Question 25

The nurse encourages a patient recovering from a hysterectomy to drink at least _______ mL of fluid a day.

Question 26

Which solution(s)can be used on a wet-to-dry dressing? (Select all that apply.)

A) Normal saline
B) Lactated Ringer's
C) Acetic acid
D) Dakin's
E) Lysol

Question 27

The nurse assessing a patient's wound notes a clear watery drainage.The nurse documents this finding as:

A) serous drainage.
B) purulent drainage.
C) sanguineous drainage.
D) serosanguineous drainage.

Question 28

The nurse caring for a patient with a surgical wound promotes healing by:

A) offering fluids every 4 hours.
B) encouraging the consumption of large meals.
C) encouraging up to 1000 mL of daily fluid intake.
D) encouraging the consumption of small frequent meals.

Question 29

A transparent dressing has which advantages? (Select all that apply.)

A) Adheres to undamaged skin
B) Contains the exudate
C) Reduces wound contamination
D) Serves as a barrier to external bacteria
E) Speeds epithelial growth

Question 30

The nurse is assisting a patient to a sitting position when the patient suddenly complains of feeling that his surgical incision has separated.The nurse recognizes this as an indication of:

A) cellulitis.
B) dehiscence.
C) evisceration.
D) extravasation.

Question 31

The nurse assessing a patient's wound notes pale red watery drainage.The nurse documents this finding as:

A) serous drainage.
B) purulent drainage.
C) sanguineous drainage.
D) serosanguineous drainage.

Question 32

The nurse assessing a patient's wound notes bright red drainage.The nurse documents this finding as:

A) serous drainage.
B) purulent drainage.
C) sanguineous drainage.
D) serosanguineous drainage.

Question 33

The nurse recognizes that the Jackson-Pratt drainage removal system is classified as a(n):

A) sterile drainage system.
B) closed drainage system.
C) open drainage system.
D) self-measuring drainage system.

Question 34

The nurse instructing a patient about the effects of smoking informs the patient that smoking:

A) increases the amount of tissue oxygenation.
B) increases the amount of functional hemoglobin in blood.
C) may decrease platelet aggregation and cause hypercoagulability.
D) interferes with normal cellular mechanisms that promote release of oxygen.

Question 35

The nurse assures a patient that the purple,raised,immature scar of his surgical wound is normal and caused by _______ formation.