QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALE
1. The nurse is admitting an older patient from a nursing home. During the assessment,
the nurse notes a shallow open reddish, pink ulcer without slough on the right heel of the
patient. How will the nurse stage this pressure ulcer?
a. Stage I
b. Stage II
c. Stage III
d. Stage IV
ANS: B
This would be a Stage II pressure ulcer because it presents as partial-thickness skin loss
involving epidermis and dermis. The ulcer presents clinically as an abrasion, blister, or
shallow crater. Stage I is intact skin with nonblanchable redness over a bony prominence.
With a Stage III pressure ulcer, subcutaneous fat may be visible, but bone, tendon, and
muscles are not exposed. Stage IV involves full-thickness tissue loss with exposed bone,
tendon, or muscle.
2. The nurse is completing a skin assessment on a patient with darkly
pigmented skin. Which item should the nurse use first to assist in staging an ulcer on this
patient?
a. Disposable measuring tape
b. Cotton-tipped applicator
c. Sterile gloves
d. Halogen light
ANS: D
When assessing a patient with darkly pigmented skin, proper lighting is essential to
,accurately complete the first step in assessment—inspection—and
, the entire assessment process. Natural light or a halogen light is recommended. Fluorescent
light sources can produce blue tones on darkly pigmented skin and can interfere with an
accurate assessment. Other items that could possibly be used during the assessment include
gloves for