When giving a hot soak treatment, what is most important to ensure?
Soak only the affected area.
Position the patient comfortably.
Monitor the temperature of the water.
Check the patient’s skin integrity.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A rationale
When administering a hot soak treatment, it is crucial to soak only the affected area to provide targeted heat therapy. This localized approach helps to increase blood flow, reduce pain, and promote healing in the specific area that requires treatment. Soaking only the affected area also minimizes the risk of overheating and potential burns to other parts of the body.
Choice B rationale
While positioning the patient comfortably is important for any treatment, it is not the most critical aspect of a hot soak treatment. Comfort should always be considered, but the primary goal of the hot soak is to apply heat to the affected area to aid in healing. Therefore, ensuring that only the affected area is soaked takes precedence over general patient comfort in this context.
Choice C rationale
Monitoring the temperature of the water is the most important aspect of a hot soak treatment. The water must be warm enough to be therapeutic but not so hot as to cause burns or discomfort. This ensures the treatment is both safe and effective1.
Choice D rationale
Checking the patient’s skin integrity is important, especially if the patient has a condition that affects skin sensitivity, such as diabetes. However, the immediate concern during a hot soak treatment is to monitor the temperature to prevent injury.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A:
es and moisture to digest necrotic tissue. While Dakin's solution can support this process by maintaining a moist wound environment, it does not directly cause autolytic debridement.
Choice B:
Sharp debridement involves the use of a scalpel, scissors, or other sharp instrument to remove dead tissue. Dakin's solution does not perform this function.
Choice C:
Enzymatic debridement involves the use of a topical application of enzymes to break down necrotic tissue. Dakin's solution does not contain these enzymes.
Choice D:
This is the correct choice. Dakin's solution, a sodium hypochlorite-based solution, is used for chemical debridement¹. It can be used to irrigate the wound bed or as the solution for wet-to-moist dressing, effectively cleansing away wound debris and helping create the ideal environment for healing.

Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Leaving the old dressing in place and simply covering it with new wet dressings would not address the issue of the dressing being adhered to the wound bed, which could lead to further tissue damage when it is eventually removed.
Choice B rationale
Povidone-iodine is an antiseptic and not typically used to moisten dressings that are stuck to a wound bed, as it may irritate the wound and delay healing.
Choice C rationale
Adding normal saline is the gentlest method to loosen a dressing that is stuck to a wound bed. It helps to rehydrate the dressing and the wound, making it easier to remove without causing additional trauma to the healing tissue.
Choice D rationale
Pulling off the dressing using slow, steady pressure could cause damage to the new tissue forming in the wound bed and should be avoided unless all other methods have failed.
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