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Free CWCN Practice Questions

10 free, exam-style Certified Wound Care Nurse (CWCN) practice questions with answers and explanations. No signup required. Work through them below, then take the full free CWCN practice test to study every exam domain.

Question 1

A nurse assesses a sacral wound showing full-thickness skin loss with visible subcutaneous fat. Granulation tissue and rolled wound edges are present, but no muscle, tendon, or bone is exposed or palpable, and the base is not obscured by slough. Using the NPIAP staging system, this pressure injury is correctly staged as:

  1. Stage 2
  2. Stage 3
  3. Stage 4
  4. Unstageable
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Stage 3

Question 2

A patient with diminished pedal pulses and known lower extremity arterial disease has dry, stable, intact eschar on the heel. There is no surrounding erythema, fluctuance, drainage, or odor. What is the MOST appropriate management of this eschar?

  1. Perform conservative sharp debridement to expose the wound bed
  2. Apply an enzymatic debriding agent to soften the eschar
  3. Apply a hydrogel and occlusive dressing to promote autolytic debridement
  4. Leave the eschar intact and monitor for signs of instability
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D - Leave the eschar intact and monitor for signs of instability

Question 3

A patient with a venous leg ulcer is being evaluated for compression therapy. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is 0.45. Based on this finding, the nurse should recognize that high-compression therapy is:

  1. Appropriate, because compression is the standard of care for all venous ulcers
  2. Appropriate at a reduced level of 23-30 mmHg with close monitoring
  3. Contraindicated, and the patient should be referred for vascular evaluation
  4. Appropriate once the patient's pain is controlled with analgesics
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Contraindicated, and the patient should be referred for vascular evaluation

Question 4

A full-thickness wound has copious serous exudate that is saturating the dressing between changes, and the periwound skin is beginning to macerate. The wound bed is granular with no signs of infection. Which dressing is the MOST appropriate choice?

  1. Transparent film dressing
  2. Calcium alginate dressing
  3. Amorphous hydrogel
  4. Thin hydrocolloid dressing
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Calcium alginate dressing

Question 5

A nurse evaluates a shallow, irregularly shaped, highly exudative ulcer located at the medial malleolus (gaiter region). The surrounding skin shows hemosiderin (brownish) staining and there is significant lower-leg edema; pedal pulses are palpable. This presentation is MOST consistent with which wound etiology?

  1. Arterial (ischemic) ulcer
  2. Neuropathic (diabetic) foot ulcer
  3. Venous (stasis) ulcer
  4. Pressure injury
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Venous (stasis) ulcer

Question 6

A nurse is using the Braden Scale to assess a patient's risk for pressure injury development. Which statement about Braden Scale scoring is correct?

  1. A lower total score indicates a higher risk for pressure injury
  2. A higher total score indicates a higher risk for pressure injury
  3. Only the total score, not the subscale scores, should guide interventions
  4. A score above 18 confirms an existing pressure injury
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - A lower total score indicates a higher risk for pressure injury

Question 7

A nurse must obtain a wound culture by swab because clinical signs of infection are present. Using the Levine technique, the swab should be:

  1. Rolled gently across the surface slough and purulent exudate to capture the surface organisms present
  2. Traced in a zigzag pattern across the full length of the wound bed without applying any downward pressure
  3. Rotated over a 1 cm² area of clean, viable tissue with enough pressure to express fluid
  4. Pressed firmly into the necrotic tissue and eschar at the deepest accessible part of the wound base
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Rotated over a 1 cm² area of clean, viable tissue with enough pressure to express fluid

Question 8

A patient at the end of life has a wound determined to be non-healable due to poor perfusion and overall decline. The interdisciplinary team and family agree on a comfort-focused approach. The PRIMARY goal of the wound care plan should be to:

  1. Achieve complete wound closure as quickly as possible
  2. Manage symptoms such as pain, odor, and exudate
  3. Perform aggressive surgical debridement to reduce bioburden
  4. Apply high-compression therapy to accelerate healing
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Manage symptoms such as pain, odor, and exudate

Question 9

During assessment of a neuropathic foot ulcer, a sterile probe reaches bone at the base of the wound. Which referral is MOST appropriate to address the primary concern raised by this finding?

  1. Registered dietitian for nutritional optimization and protein supplementation
  2. Physical therapy for gait training and pressure offloading of the foot
  3. Infectious disease for evaluation of osteomyelitis
  4. Social services for assistance obtaining dressing and offloading supplies
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Infectious disease for evaluation of osteomyelitis

Question 10

A wound bed is dry, with adherent yellow slough and minimal exudate. There are no signs of infection, and the goal is to rehydrate the wound and support autolytic debridement. Which dressing BEST supports this goal?

  1. Calcium alginate
  2. Amorphous hydrogel
  3. Foam dressing
  4. Gelling hydrofiber
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Amorphous hydrogel

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