NURS 5354 Final Exam 2026 Questions
and Answers
What is a single suture strand called? - Correct answer-Monofilament; more
resistant to harboring microorganisms.
What are several filaments twisted or braided together called? - Correct answer-
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? - Correct answer-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? - Correct answer-Two types: Natural-Surgical
silk
Synthetic-Nylon (Ethilon) or Polyprolene (Prolene)
How do you determine the diameter of a suture? - Correct answer-The smaller the
number, the larger the strand.
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,Ex: a 2-0 is larger than 5-0 suture.
What size suture would you use for the face? - Correct answer-5-0 or 6-0
What size suture would you use for the scalp? - Correct answer-4-0
What size suture would you use for the upper body? - Correct answer-4-0
What size suture would you use for the hand? - Correct answer-4-0 or 5-0
What size suture would you use for the lower body? - Correct answer-4-0
What size suture would you use over a joint? - Correct answer-4-0
What suture pattern would be used for a laceration with irregular edges? - Correct
answer-Interrupted
What suture pattern is best for high tension wounds, palms/feet or over joint areas?
- Correct answer-Horizontal mattress
What suture pattern is best for loose/thin skin? - Correct answer-Vertical mattress
What suture pattern would be used on lacerations with low risk for infection and
low wound tension? - Correct answer-Continuous
How far apart should two sutures be from one another? - Correct answer-No closer
than 2 mm in a fine plastic closure. The distance between sutures should equal half
the total distance across the incision.
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, When should sutures be removed from the face? - Correct answer-4-5 days
When should sutures be removed from the scalp? - Correct answer-10-14 days
When should sutures be removed from the upper body? - Correct answer-7-10 days
When should sutures be removed from the hand? - Correct answer-7-10 days
When should sutures be removed from the lower body? - Correct answer-10-14
days
When should sutures be removed over joints? - Correct answer-14-21 days
Consult/referral should be done for...? - Correct answer-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? - Correct answer-Tape, adhesives
or staples
What needs to be documented/coded when suturing? - Correct answer-Lesion
location, lesion size, benign/malignant (discuss path report), and closure.
What needs to be documented for wound repair? - Correct answer-laceration length
and location, any neurovascular damage distal to the injury, laceration clean or
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and Answers
What is a single suture strand called? - Correct answer-Monofilament; more
resistant to harboring microorganisms.
What are several filaments twisted or braided together called? - Correct answer-
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? - Correct answer-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? - Correct answer-Two types: Natural-Surgical
silk
Synthetic-Nylon (Ethilon) or Polyprolene (Prolene)
How do you determine the diameter of a suture? - Correct answer-The smaller the
number, the larger the strand.
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Ex: a 2-0 is larger than 5-0 suture.
What size suture would you use for the face? - Correct answer-5-0 or 6-0
What size suture would you use for the scalp? - Correct answer-4-0
What size suture would you use for the upper body? - Correct answer-4-0
What size suture would you use for the hand? - Correct answer-4-0 or 5-0
What size suture would you use for the lower body? - Correct answer-4-0
What size suture would you use over a joint? - Correct answer-4-0
What suture pattern would be used for a laceration with irregular edges? - Correct
answer-Interrupted
What suture pattern is best for high tension wounds, palms/feet or over joint areas?
- Correct answer-Horizontal mattress
What suture pattern is best for loose/thin skin? - Correct answer-Vertical mattress
What suture pattern would be used on lacerations with low risk for infection and
low wound tension? - Correct answer-Continuous
How far apart should two sutures be from one another? - Correct answer-No closer
than 2 mm in a fine plastic closure. The distance between sutures should equal half
the total distance across the incision.
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, When should sutures be removed from the face? - Correct answer-4-5 days
When should sutures be removed from the scalp? - Correct answer-10-14 days
When should sutures be removed from the upper body? - Correct answer-7-10 days
When should sutures be removed from the hand? - Correct answer-7-10 days
When should sutures be removed from the lower body? - Correct answer-10-14
days
When should sutures be removed over joints? - Correct answer-14-21 days
Consult/referral should be done for...? - Correct answer-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? - Correct answer-Tape, adhesives
or staples
What needs to be documented/coded when suturing? - Correct answer-Lesion
location, lesion size, benign/malignant (discuss path report), and closure.
What needs to be documented for wound repair? - Correct answer-laceration length
and location, any neurovascular damage distal to the injury, laceration clean or
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
