CWCN – Practice Questions, Wound Care Certification Review Course, Comprehensive Exam
Preparation and Study Guide
The foot care nurse should describe the distal margin of superficial skin extending over the base
of the toenail as:
a. subungual
b. periungual
c. perionychium
d. eponychium - ✔✔d. eponychium
Which of the following is an example of mechanical debridement?
A. Using gauze moistened with 0.25% sodium hypochlorite solution and a cover dressing
B. Applying saline moistened gauze to the wound bed and removing when dry
C. Cleansing with betadine and applying a thin layer of silver sulfadiazine cream
D. Using saline to clean the wound and applying a thin film dressing - ✔✔B. Applying saline
moistened gauze to the wound bed and removing when dry
A 58 year old gentleman presents to the outpatient wound clinic for a new onset of scattered
bullae to the upper arms, shoulder and a few areas on the abdomen and trunk. The palmar
surfaces of his hands are red. You note that the intact skin is dry and has a "tight" texture. He
has been seeing dermatology for the past few years and states he is taking the tacrolimus
(Prograf®) as scheduled for the Graft vs. Host Disease (GVHD). Your plan of wound care will
include:
A. A hydrocolloid dressing
B. A referral to the Registered Dietician, RD
C. A non-adherent, absorptive dressing
D. Transparent film as the secondary dressing - ✔✔C. A non-adherent, absorptive dressing
,A patient with a right venous insufficiency leg ulcer returns to the clinic 2 weeks after initiating
weekly compression therapy; the leg edema is markedly reduced, but the patient continues to
have a large amount of exudate. The wound has enlarged, and there is increased periwound
erythema extending 3 cm from the wound edge. What is the best wound care-management
approach at this point?
A. Weekly sharp debridement
B. Apply silver nitrate
C. Increase the compression-dressing change frequency
D. Consider obtaining a wound culture - ✔✔D. Consider obtaining a wound culture
Mr. Jones, 75, lives with his family at home. His BMI is 45. He has two stage IV pressure ulcers;
one on his left trochanter, and one on his sacrum. You are developing the plan of care. You
understand that, under Medicare guidelines, your patient qualifies for a specialty surface. The
best surface for Mr. Jones is:
A. A low air loss mattress replacement
B. A small-cell mattress overlay
C. An air-fluidized bed
D. A high-density foam mattress - ✔✔A. A low air loss mattress replacement
You are assessing a patient's neuropathic swollen foot and notice that the 6 mm indentation of
the left dorsal foot does not resolve after 1 minute. The edema is graded at:
A. 4+
B. Weeping
C. 2+
D. 3+ - ✔✔D. 3+
A family member calls you to relay their concern that their mother's abdominal incision has
"popped open" and is draining a moderate amount of clear yellow fluid. When you arrive at
,their home, you find that the central area of the incision has opened without any evidence of
tunneling, undermining or evisceration. What is the most appropriate primary dressing?
A. Calcium alginate packing
B. Wet-to-dry gauze packing
C. Amorphous hydrogel
D. Enzymatic ointment - ✔✔A. Calcium alginate packing
A patient's chronic, nonhealing left neuropathic plantar ulcer appears stalled. The patient has a
history of a below-the-knee amputation (BKA) secondary to osteomyelitis. You recommend the
following adjunctive therapy in addition to local wound care and offloading to prevent an
additional major amputation:
A. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)
B. Whirlpool treatments
c. A low-grade compression stocking
d. Total contact casting - ✔✔A. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)
A patient and her husband present to the clinic with a lateral lower leg ulcer. The patient's Ankle
Brachial Index (ABI) = 0.5. The spouse tells the clinician that the wound has always healed in the
past with an Unna Boot dressing on the affected leg, changed weekly. You reply:
A. This will be an appropriate compression dressing to help the wound heal
B. The medicated zinc in the wrap is known to heal arterial ulcers
C. It is important to visualize the ulcer more than once a week
D. Zinc application to the periwound will help prevent infection - ✔✔C. It is important to
visualize the ulcer more than once a week
A 73-year-old patient presents with a weeping wound on the right leg gaiter region with
associated long-standing lower leg edema. The patient reports leg pain that worsens during the
day. In discussing treatment recommendations with the patient, the CWCN provides education
that:
, A. Solo therapy with absorptive dressing is indicated.
B. Compression therapy assists with increased healing rates, improved symptoms, and reduction
of edema.
C. Limb elevation for extending periods throughout the day is the best method for edema
reduction
D. Pharmacotherapy with diuretics for fluid reduction is the best treatment option for edema. -
✔✔B. Compression therapy assists with increased healing rates, improved symptoms, and
reduction of edema.
You suspect that a patient may have a wound infection. What is the best technique to obtain a
wound culture?
A. Flush the wound with sterile water followed by a 10-point swab covering all the areas of the
wound surface
B. Use a 19-gauge angiocatheter and a 10-cc syringe to aspirate purulent fluid from the wound
bed
C. Flush the wound with normal saline and swab 1 square cm of the viable tissue with enough
force to produce fluid
D. Clean the wound with providone iodine, then use a10-pt swab to cover all the areas of the
wound surface - ✔✔C. Flush the wound with normal saline and swab 1 square cm of the viable
tissue with enough force to produce fluid
A 73-year-old woman with irritable bowel hesitantly reports occasional bowel leakage. Which of
the following strategies can the Certified Continence Care Nurse (CCCN) employ to help reduce
her reluctance to share with her health care team?
A. Suggest a referral to a psychologist.
B. Offer body-worn absorbent product information.
C. Communicate consistently and avoid blaming language.
Preparation and Study Guide
The foot care nurse should describe the distal margin of superficial skin extending over the base
of the toenail as:
a. subungual
b. periungual
c. perionychium
d. eponychium - ✔✔d. eponychium
Which of the following is an example of mechanical debridement?
A. Using gauze moistened with 0.25% sodium hypochlorite solution and a cover dressing
B. Applying saline moistened gauze to the wound bed and removing when dry
C. Cleansing with betadine and applying a thin layer of silver sulfadiazine cream
D. Using saline to clean the wound and applying a thin film dressing - ✔✔B. Applying saline
moistened gauze to the wound bed and removing when dry
A 58 year old gentleman presents to the outpatient wound clinic for a new onset of scattered
bullae to the upper arms, shoulder and a few areas on the abdomen and trunk. The palmar
surfaces of his hands are red. You note that the intact skin is dry and has a "tight" texture. He
has been seeing dermatology for the past few years and states he is taking the tacrolimus
(Prograf®) as scheduled for the Graft vs. Host Disease (GVHD). Your plan of wound care will
include:
A. A hydrocolloid dressing
B. A referral to the Registered Dietician, RD
C. A non-adherent, absorptive dressing
D. Transparent film as the secondary dressing - ✔✔C. A non-adherent, absorptive dressing
,A patient with a right venous insufficiency leg ulcer returns to the clinic 2 weeks after initiating
weekly compression therapy; the leg edema is markedly reduced, but the patient continues to
have a large amount of exudate. The wound has enlarged, and there is increased periwound
erythema extending 3 cm from the wound edge. What is the best wound care-management
approach at this point?
A. Weekly sharp debridement
B. Apply silver nitrate
C. Increase the compression-dressing change frequency
D. Consider obtaining a wound culture - ✔✔D. Consider obtaining a wound culture
Mr. Jones, 75, lives with his family at home. His BMI is 45. He has two stage IV pressure ulcers;
one on his left trochanter, and one on his sacrum. You are developing the plan of care. You
understand that, under Medicare guidelines, your patient qualifies for a specialty surface. The
best surface for Mr. Jones is:
A. A low air loss mattress replacement
B. A small-cell mattress overlay
C. An air-fluidized bed
D. A high-density foam mattress - ✔✔A. A low air loss mattress replacement
You are assessing a patient's neuropathic swollen foot and notice that the 6 mm indentation of
the left dorsal foot does not resolve after 1 minute. The edema is graded at:
A. 4+
B. Weeping
C. 2+
D. 3+ - ✔✔D. 3+
A family member calls you to relay their concern that their mother's abdominal incision has
"popped open" and is draining a moderate amount of clear yellow fluid. When you arrive at
,their home, you find that the central area of the incision has opened without any evidence of
tunneling, undermining or evisceration. What is the most appropriate primary dressing?
A. Calcium alginate packing
B. Wet-to-dry gauze packing
C. Amorphous hydrogel
D. Enzymatic ointment - ✔✔A. Calcium alginate packing
A patient's chronic, nonhealing left neuropathic plantar ulcer appears stalled. The patient has a
history of a below-the-knee amputation (BKA) secondary to osteomyelitis. You recommend the
following adjunctive therapy in addition to local wound care and offloading to prevent an
additional major amputation:
A. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)
B. Whirlpool treatments
c. A low-grade compression stocking
d. Total contact casting - ✔✔A. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)
A patient and her husband present to the clinic with a lateral lower leg ulcer. The patient's Ankle
Brachial Index (ABI) = 0.5. The spouse tells the clinician that the wound has always healed in the
past with an Unna Boot dressing on the affected leg, changed weekly. You reply:
A. This will be an appropriate compression dressing to help the wound heal
B. The medicated zinc in the wrap is known to heal arterial ulcers
C. It is important to visualize the ulcer more than once a week
D. Zinc application to the periwound will help prevent infection - ✔✔C. It is important to
visualize the ulcer more than once a week
A 73-year-old patient presents with a weeping wound on the right leg gaiter region with
associated long-standing lower leg edema. The patient reports leg pain that worsens during the
day. In discussing treatment recommendations with the patient, the CWCN provides education
that:
, A. Solo therapy with absorptive dressing is indicated.
B. Compression therapy assists with increased healing rates, improved symptoms, and reduction
of edema.
C. Limb elevation for extending periods throughout the day is the best method for edema
reduction
D. Pharmacotherapy with diuretics for fluid reduction is the best treatment option for edema. -
✔✔B. Compression therapy assists with increased healing rates, improved symptoms, and
reduction of edema.
You suspect that a patient may have a wound infection. What is the best technique to obtain a
wound culture?
A. Flush the wound with sterile water followed by a 10-point swab covering all the areas of the
wound surface
B. Use a 19-gauge angiocatheter and a 10-cc syringe to aspirate purulent fluid from the wound
bed
C. Flush the wound with normal saline and swab 1 square cm of the viable tissue with enough
force to produce fluid
D. Clean the wound with providone iodine, then use a10-pt swab to cover all the areas of the
wound surface - ✔✔C. Flush the wound with normal saline and swab 1 square cm of the viable
tissue with enough force to produce fluid
A 73-year-old woman with irritable bowel hesitantly reports occasional bowel leakage. Which of
the following strategies can the Certified Continence Care Nurse (CCCN) employ to help reduce
her reluctance to share with her health care team?
A. Suggest a referral to a psychologist.
B. Offer body-worn absorbent product information.
C. Communicate consistently and avoid blaming language.
