RN WOUND CARE
CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 2026-2027 | A+ GRADE
STUDY GUIDE
TImes to use topical antimicrobials Correct Answer
Topical metronidazole for odor in fungating wounds
Silver Sulfadiazine in tx of burns and wounds
Mupirocin for tx of bacterial skin infect.
Advantages of antimicrobial dressings Correct Answer
Broad abx activity
Moist wound healing environment
Reduces/prevents infection
Alter MMPs within wound
Honey dressings Correct Answer broad antimicrobial
effects
Low pH inhbits bacterial growth, affects biofilm growth
Maybe more effective than hydrogel at desloughing
Iodine dressings Correct Answer broad spectrum, risk for
cytotoxicity
Silver dressings Correct Answer Antimicrobial, low
cytotoxicity risk
check for sulfa allergy beforehand
,Surfactant Correct Answer water soluble and insoluble,
allows for deeper penetration
Refractory wounds Correct Answer chronic non healing
wound that doesn't progress or is stagnant
Considered "refractory" if it doesnt heal in 2 to 4 weeks
Base of why chronic wounds fail to heal Correct Answer
Injury cycle has not been effectively interrupted
Obtaining a biopsy for a chronic wound Correct Answer A
biopsy should be obtained whenever a wound is
nonhealing and the reasons are not clear
Intrinsic factors affecting wound healing Correct Answer -
age
-chronic disease
-perfusion and oxygenation
-immunosuppression
-neurologically impaired skin
Extrinsic factors affecting wound healing Correct Answer
medications,
nutrition,
irradiation & chemotherapy,
stress,
bioburden & infection
Spinal cord injury and wound healing Correct Answer
Delayed wound healing due to changes in perfusion and
persistent inflammation.
,Radiation and chemos affect on wound healing Correct
Answer Can affect wound healing for years in area of
effect due to persistent damage to the vessel walls and
the proliferation cells (fibroblast)
Results in tissue ischemia as well
Wound goals will always be maintenance in patients
receiving chemo until treatment is over
Iatrogenic factors affecting wound healing Correct Answer
local ischemia, inappropriate wound care, trauma by
providing team
Three principles of wound care Correct Answer Control or
eliminate causative factors
Support the host to reduce existing and potential co
factors
Optimize the micro wound environment
Active wound therapies Correct Answer Recommended
for refractory wounds and are not indicated for healing
acute wounds
MMP inhibitors Correct Answer Act to lower MMP levels in
chronic wounds
needs to be applied to viable clean wound bed
More expensive than typical wound items, but cheaper
than alternative active therapies
, Matrix Dressings (Acellular Scaffold Dressings) Correct
Answer nonliving products, provides scaffolding like one
provided in prolif. phase
Not as much evidence available, more expensive
Growth factor Correct Answer Chronic wounds are
typically low in growth factor
Limitation is that usage is limited to just one type of growth
factor, and our body needs different types
Use with clean wound bed. Remove after 12 hours, stop if
no progress in 2 weeks
Negative pressure wound therapy mechanism of action
Correct Answer Fill wound with gauze and then apply
negative pressure
Works to eliminate exudate, maintain most surface,
reduce edema, contract wound,
NPWT indications and usage Correct Answer No necrosis
or infection in wound bed
Protect periskin area
Can be intermittent or continuous suction
Why must NPWT not be held for greater than 2 hours?
Correct Answer After 2 hours, wound exudate can
overwhelm the wound and the seal, causing infection and
unusable vacuum seals
Common issues with NPWT Correct Answer Bleeding
pain, tissue trauma and foam in the wound
CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 2026-2027 | A+ GRADE
STUDY GUIDE
TImes to use topical antimicrobials Correct Answer
Topical metronidazole for odor in fungating wounds
Silver Sulfadiazine in tx of burns and wounds
Mupirocin for tx of bacterial skin infect.
Advantages of antimicrobial dressings Correct Answer
Broad abx activity
Moist wound healing environment
Reduces/prevents infection
Alter MMPs within wound
Honey dressings Correct Answer broad antimicrobial
effects
Low pH inhbits bacterial growth, affects biofilm growth
Maybe more effective than hydrogel at desloughing
Iodine dressings Correct Answer broad spectrum, risk for
cytotoxicity
Silver dressings Correct Answer Antimicrobial, low
cytotoxicity risk
check for sulfa allergy beforehand
,Surfactant Correct Answer water soluble and insoluble,
allows for deeper penetration
Refractory wounds Correct Answer chronic non healing
wound that doesn't progress or is stagnant
Considered "refractory" if it doesnt heal in 2 to 4 weeks
Base of why chronic wounds fail to heal Correct Answer
Injury cycle has not been effectively interrupted
Obtaining a biopsy for a chronic wound Correct Answer A
biopsy should be obtained whenever a wound is
nonhealing and the reasons are not clear
Intrinsic factors affecting wound healing Correct Answer -
age
-chronic disease
-perfusion and oxygenation
-immunosuppression
-neurologically impaired skin
Extrinsic factors affecting wound healing Correct Answer
medications,
nutrition,
irradiation & chemotherapy,
stress,
bioburden & infection
Spinal cord injury and wound healing Correct Answer
Delayed wound healing due to changes in perfusion and
persistent inflammation.
,Radiation and chemos affect on wound healing Correct
Answer Can affect wound healing for years in area of
effect due to persistent damage to the vessel walls and
the proliferation cells (fibroblast)
Results in tissue ischemia as well
Wound goals will always be maintenance in patients
receiving chemo until treatment is over
Iatrogenic factors affecting wound healing Correct Answer
local ischemia, inappropriate wound care, trauma by
providing team
Three principles of wound care Correct Answer Control or
eliminate causative factors
Support the host to reduce existing and potential co
factors
Optimize the micro wound environment
Active wound therapies Correct Answer Recommended
for refractory wounds and are not indicated for healing
acute wounds
MMP inhibitors Correct Answer Act to lower MMP levels in
chronic wounds
needs to be applied to viable clean wound bed
More expensive than typical wound items, but cheaper
than alternative active therapies
, Matrix Dressings (Acellular Scaffold Dressings) Correct
Answer nonliving products, provides scaffolding like one
provided in prolif. phase
Not as much evidence available, more expensive
Growth factor Correct Answer Chronic wounds are
typically low in growth factor
Limitation is that usage is limited to just one type of growth
factor, and our body needs different types
Use with clean wound bed. Remove after 12 hours, stop if
no progress in 2 weeks
Negative pressure wound therapy mechanism of action
Correct Answer Fill wound with gauze and then apply
negative pressure
Works to eliminate exudate, maintain most surface,
reduce edema, contract wound,
NPWT indications and usage Correct Answer No necrosis
or infection in wound bed
Protect periskin area
Can be intermittent or continuous suction
Why must NPWT not be held for greater than 2 hours?
Correct Answer After 2 hours, wound exudate can
overwhelm the wound and the seal, causing infection and
unusable vacuum seals
Common issues with NPWT Correct Answer Bleeding
pain, tissue trauma and foam in the wound
