Question

a nurse on a surgical unit is caring for four clients who have healing wounds. which of the following wounds should the nurse expect to heal by primary intention? partial - thickness burn stage iii pressure ulcer surgical incision dehisced sternal wound

Explanation:

To determine which wound heals by primary intention, we recall that primary intention healing occurs when a wound is closed (e.g., with sutures, staples) and has minimal tissue loss, leading to rapid healing with little scarring.

• A partial - thickness burn heals by secondary intention as it involves tissue damage and requires granulation tissue formation.
• A Stage III pressure ulcer has significant tissue loss and heals by secondary intention.
• A surgical incision is a clean, closed wound (usually sutured or stapled) and heals by primary intention.
• A dehisced sternal wound is an open wound (the incision has opened) and heals by secondary intention.

Answer:

C. Surgical incision