Chapter 22: Surgical Wound Care
Cooper: Foundations of Nursing, 8th Edition.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse is instructing a patient who has a drain in a surgical wound. How will the nurse
indicate that the wound will heal?
a. Primary intention
b. Secondary intention
c. Tertiary intention
d. Deliberate intention
ANS: C
When wounds are kept open by a drain, they heal by tertiary intention.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: 616 OBJ: 4
TOP: Tertiary intention KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity
2. What technique will the nurse implement to assist the postoperative patient to cough?
a. Support the patient’s back.
b. Offer an antitussive.
c. Splint the abdomen with a pillow.
d. Lean patient against the bedside table.
ANS: C
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To assist a postoperative patient INGTsplinting
to cough,
S B.COMthe abdomen with pillow, hands, or a
towel roll is helpful to relieve stress on the suture line.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: 617 OBJ: 8
TOP: Suture lines KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity
3. The day following surgery, the nurse notes bloody drainage on the dressing. How will the
nurse describe this drainage when documenting?
a. Serosanguineous
b. Sanguineous
c. Serous
d. Purulent
ANS: B
The term sanguineous means bloody. It is indicative of active bleeding.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: 619 OBJ: 1
TOP: Drainage KEY: Nursing Process Step: Assessment
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity
4. What is the advantage of an occlusive dressing?
a. Allows air to the incision.
b. Keeps the incision moist.
c. Delays epithelialization.
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, Foundations of Nursing 8th Edition Cooper Test Bank
d. Does not have to be changed.
ANS: B
Occlusive dressings keep the incision moist and increase epithelialization.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: 620 OBJ: 7
TOP: Occlusive dressings KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity
5. When removing the dressing on a patient, the nurse discovers that the gauze dressing has
adhered to the wound. What intervention should the nurse implement?
a. Call the RN.
b. Gently remove the gauze with sterile forceps.
c. Cover with occlusive dressing.
d. Moisten the dressing with sterile water.
ANS: D
When a dressing has adhered to the wound, the nurse may moisten the dressing with sterile
water or sterile normal saline to loosen it.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: 621 OBJ: 7
TOP: Dry dressings KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity
6. The nurse is providing instruction to a patient regarding home wound irrigation. How far
should the patient hold the handheld showerhead from the wound when irrigating the wound?
a. 2.5 in
b. 6 in
c. 12 in
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d. 18 in
ANS: C
When wound irrigation is done at home with a handheld showerhead, the showerhead should
be held approximately 12 in from the wound.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: 628 OBJ: 11
TOP: Wound irrigation KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity
7. The nurse is irrigating a leg wound of a patient on the trauma unit. Where should the nurse
direct 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 in
ANS: A
The irrigant should flow from the least contaminated area to the most contaminated area to
prevent microorganisms from entering the wound.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: 625 OBJ: 11
TOP: Wound irrigation KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity
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