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Wound Care Basics
Most minor wounds heal uneventfully — but knowing how healing works, what infection looks like, and which wounds should never be managed at home makes a real difference. This quiz covers the essentials in five questions: the right first step for a minor cut, the classic signs of infection, why modern dressings keep wounds moist, where pressure injuries form, and the red flags that mean a wound needs a clinician. It is general education for patients, carers and students — individual wounds, especially in people with diabetes or circulation problems, deserve individual advice.
✓ Medically reviewed by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, MD, PhD — physician-scientist · Last reviewed: October 2026
How it works: five questions, one best answer each. Tap an answer and you will see straight away whether it is right, with a short explanation of the reasoning. Your score builds as you go — there is no timer and no account needed.
Question 1 of 5
What is the best first step in caring for a minor cut or graze at home?
Gentle rinsing with clean running water removes dirt and debris and reduces the number of bacteria, and is the recommended first step for minor wounds. Harsh scrubbing damages the tissue the body is trying to repair and slows healing.
Question 2 of 5
Which set of changes suggests a wound may be becoming infected?
Increasing pain after the first day or two, spreading redness, warmth, swelling, pus, or red streaks moving away from the wound are the classic signs of infection. Pink edges and mild itching, by contrast, are common in normal healing.
Question 3 of 5
Why are many modern dressings designed to keep a wound slightly moist?
Research since the 1960s shows that wounds kept moist-but-not-wet rebuild skin faster than wounds left to dry out and scab, and often with less scarring. Moist is not the same as soaked — excess fluid damages the surrounding skin.
Question 4 of 5
Pressure injuries (pressure ulcers) most often develop…
Pressure injuries form where body weight presses skin and tissue between bone and a surface for too long — the heels, the sacrum at the base of the spine, the hips and the elbows are the classic sites in people who spend long periods in bed or in a chair. Risk tools such as the Braden Scale score how likely this is.
Question 5 of 5
Which wound should be seen by a clinician rather than managed at home?
Bleeding that does not stop with firm pressure, deep or gaping wounds, wounds with something embedded in them, bites, and wounds in people with diabetes or poor circulation should all be assessed in person. When in doubt, get it looked at.
Your result
Keep learning
Nursing: Wound CareWound assessment, dressings and healing — the professional skills section, with videos.Open → Braden Scale CalculatorScore pressure-injury risk across sensation, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition and friction.Open → For Nurses — Skills & ProceduresThe full nursing section: eight skill areas with Key Steps cards and videos.Open →Frequently asked questions
How often should a dressing be changed?
It depends on the wound and the dressing: some modern dressings are designed to stay in place for several days, while a wound that is producing a lot of fluid may need daily changes. The product instructions and your clinician's plan for that specific wound are the guide — a dressing that is soaked through, leaking or increasingly painful should be checked sooner.
Should I put antiseptic on every wound?
For most minor wounds, thorough gentle cleaning with clean running water is the important step; routine antiseptics are not always needed and some can irritate healing tissue if overused. Deep, dirty, bite or infected-looking wounds are a different matter and should be assessed by a clinician.
These quizzes are for learning only. They are not medical advice, cannot diagnose anything, and do not replace assessment by a qualified clinician. If you have symptoms now — especially chest pain, severe abdominal pain, or sudden weakness or speech problems — seek urgent medical care.