NURS 5354 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS. VERIFIED
2025/2026.
What is a single suture strand called? - ANS Monofilament; more resistant to harboring
microorganisms.
What are several filaments twisted or braided together called? - ANS Multifilament; They are
less stiff, have greater tensile strength but fluid may be absorbed along the filament to
introduce pathogens. Infection risk!
What are absorbable sutures? - ANS Two types: Natural-surgical gut; plain or surgical gut
chromic (treated with chromium salt)
Synthetic polymers-Vicryl (braided suture) or monocryl (monofilament)
What are non-absorbable sutures? - ANS Two types: Natural-Surgical silk
Synthetic-Nylon (Ethilon) or Polyprolene (Prolene)
How do you determine the diameter of a suture? - ANS The smaller the number, the larger
the strand.
Ex: a 2-0 is larger than 5-0 suture.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,What size suture would you use for the face? - ANS 5-0 or 6-0
What size suture would you use for the scalp? - ANS 4-0
What size suture would you use for the upper body? - ANS 4-0
What size suture would you use for the hand? - ANS 4-0 or 5-0
What size suture would you use for the lower body? - ANS 4-0
What size suture would you use over a joint? - ANS 4-0
What suture pattern would be used for a laceration with irregular edges? - ANS Interrupted
What suture pattern is best for high tension wounds, palms/feet or over joint areas? -
ANS Horizontal mattress
What suture pattern is best for loose/thin skin? - ANS Vertical mattress
What suture pattern would be used on lacerations with low risk for infection and low wound
tension? - ANS Continuous
How far apart should two sutures be from one another? - ANS No closer than 2 mm in a fine
plastic closure. The distance between sutures should equal half the total distance across the
incision.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, When should sutures be removed from the face? - ANS 4-5 days
When should sutures be removed from the scalp? - ANS 10-14 days
When should sutures be removed from the upper body? - ANS 7-10 days
When should sutures be removed from the hand? - ANS 7-10 days
When should sutures be removed from the lower body? - ANS 10-14 days
When should sutures be removed over joints? - ANS 14-21 days
Consult/referral should be done for...? - ANS Deep wounds of the hand or foot, lacerations of
the eyelid/lip/ear, lacerations involving tendon, nerves, arteries, bones or joints, penetrating
wounds of unknown depth, severe crush injuries, severely contaminated wounds requiring
drainage, wounds for which the patient or clinical is strongly concerned about cosmetic
outcome. and galea
What are other methods of wound repair/closure? - ANS Tape, adhesives or staples
What needs to be documented/coded when suturing? - ANS Lesion location, lesion size,
benign/malignant (discuss path report), and closure.
What needs to be documented for wound repair? - ANS laceration length and location, any
neurovascular damage distal to the injury, laceration clean or contaminated, anesthetic
medication used, how the wound was cleansed, suture size, number and layer sutured (skin,
dermis, fascia) and discussion of potential for infection or impaired function.
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
AND CORRECT ANSWERS. VERIFIED
2025/2026.
What is a single suture strand called? - ANS Monofilament; more resistant to harboring
microorganisms.
What are several filaments twisted or braided together called? - ANS Multifilament; They are
less stiff, have greater tensile strength but fluid may be absorbed along the filament to
introduce pathogens. Infection risk!
What are absorbable sutures? - ANS Two types: Natural-surgical gut; plain or surgical gut
chromic (treated with chromium salt)
Synthetic polymers-Vicryl (braided suture) or monocryl (monofilament)
What are non-absorbable sutures? - ANS Two types: Natural-Surgical silk
Synthetic-Nylon (Ethilon) or Polyprolene (Prolene)
How do you determine the diameter of a suture? - ANS The smaller the number, the larger
the strand.
Ex: a 2-0 is larger than 5-0 suture.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,What size suture would you use for the face? - ANS 5-0 or 6-0
What size suture would you use for the scalp? - ANS 4-0
What size suture would you use for the upper body? - ANS 4-0
What size suture would you use for the hand? - ANS 4-0 or 5-0
What size suture would you use for the lower body? - ANS 4-0
What size suture would you use over a joint? - ANS 4-0
What suture pattern would be used for a laceration with irregular edges? - ANS Interrupted
What suture pattern is best for high tension wounds, palms/feet or over joint areas? -
ANS Horizontal mattress
What suture pattern is best for loose/thin skin? - ANS Vertical mattress
What suture pattern would be used on lacerations with low risk for infection and low wound
tension? - ANS Continuous
How far apart should two sutures be from one another? - ANS No closer than 2 mm in a fine
plastic closure. The distance between sutures should equal half the total distance across the
incision.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, When should sutures be removed from the face? - ANS 4-5 days
When should sutures be removed from the scalp? - ANS 10-14 days
When should sutures be removed from the upper body? - ANS 7-10 days
When should sutures be removed from the hand? - ANS 7-10 days
When should sutures be removed from the lower body? - ANS 10-14 days
When should sutures be removed over joints? - ANS 14-21 days
Consult/referral should be done for...? - ANS Deep wounds of the hand or foot, lacerations of
the eyelid/lip/ear, lacerations involving tendon, nerves, arteries, bones or joints, penetrating
wounds of unknown depth, severe crush injuries, severely contaminated wounds requiring
drainage, wounds for which the patient or clinical is strongly concerned about cosmetic
outcome. and galea
What are other methods of wound repair/closure? - ANS Tape, adhesives or staples
What needs to be documented/coded when suturing? - ANS Lesion location, lesion size,
benign/malignant (discuss path report), and closure.
What needs to be documented for wound repair? - ANS laceration length and location, any
neurovascular damage distal to the injury, laceration clean or contaminated, anesthetic
medication used, how the wound was cleansed, suture size, number and layer sutured (skin,
dermis, fascia) and discussion of potential for infection or impaired function.
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
