ATI LPN
NCLEX Style Questions on Skin Integrity and Wound Care Questions
Question 1 of 5
The nurse is applying wet dressings as ordered to a patient who has a crusted skin lesion. Which assessment finding should cause the nurse the most concern?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Wet dressings should not be prescribed for more than 72 hours, because the skin may become too dry or macerated. Oiliness, edema, and oozing are not common reactions to wet dressings.
Question 2 of 5
A 20 year-old is brought in by ambulance to the emergency department after being involved in a motorcycle accident. The patient has an open fracture of his tibia. The wound is highly contaminated and there is extensive soft-tissue damage. How would this patient's fracture likely be graded?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Open fractures are graded according to the following criteria. Grade I is a clean wound less than 1 cm long. Grade II is a larger wound without extensive soft-tissue damage. Grade III is highly contaminated, has extensive soft-tissue damage, and is the most severe. There is no grade IV fracture.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse notes that a patient's fingertips are blue in color. What should this finding indicate to the nurse?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Cyanosis (blue discoloration) indicates poor perfusion or inadequate oxygenation of blood.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse is caring for a patient with 45% total body surface area thermal burns. Which laboratory value change would be expected?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Thermal burns cause cell damage, releasing potassium into the bloodstream (hyperkalemia), a common finding due to tissue destruction.
Question 5 of 5
During an assessment the nurse notes skin changes on the patient's elbows and knees. Which findings support that these changes are plaque psoriasis?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Plaque psoriasis typically presents as thick red plaques with silvery scales, especially on extensor surfaces like elbows and knees, distinguishing it from other descriptions.