Want to test your diagnostics knowledge before the WCC exam? Below are free sample flashcards from the 160-card diagnostics section of our 1000-card WCC (Wound Care Certified) deck, which covers Serum Albumin, Medical Device Related Pressure, UT, Wagner Classification System and more.
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What does the NERDS mnemonic represent in wound assessment, and how does it differ from the STONES mnemonic regarding infection depth and treatment?
Show answer →NERDS (Non-healing, Exudate, Red/friable, Debris, Smell) identifies superficial increased bacterial burden (local infection/critical colonization). STONES (Size, Temperature, Os/bone, New/satellite, Edema/Erythema, Smell) identifies deep/systemic infection. WCC Exam Tip: NERDS typically requires topical antimicrobials and debridement, whereas STONES requires systemic antibiotics. Identifying the depth of infection is critical for selecting the correct pharmacological intervention on the NAWCO exam.
A patient with a Stage 4 pressure injury has a Serum Albumin of 2.8 g/dL and a Prealbumin of 10 mg/dL. Which marker is the more sensitive indicator of current, short-term nutritional status for the WCC exam?
Show answer →Prealbumin (Transthyretin). It has a short half-life (approx. 2 days) compared to Albumin (approx. 20 days), making it more reflective of recent protein intake and current metabolic state. Albumin is often skewed by inflammation or fluid status. Exam Tip: NAWCO focuses on Prealbumin as a gold standard for monitoring the effectiveness of nutritional interventions in wound care.
A wound bed is 100% covered in yellow, stringy slough. The clinician cannot visualize the depth of the wound base or the underlying structures. How should this be staged for the WCC exam?
Show answer →Unstageable Pressure Injury. Rationale: Per NPIAP/NAWCO standards, if slough or eschar obscures the extent of tissue loss (the wound base), the injury cannot be staged. Clinical Pearl: Once the slough is debrided to reveal the wound base, it will typically be revealed as a Stage 3 or Stage 4. You must never guess the stage under the slough. If you see adipose after debridement, it is Stage 3.
A clinician notes maceration and linear denudement under a blood pressure cuff used for frequent monitoring. Is this a Medical Device Related Pressure Injury?
Show answer →Likely not. This description suggests Moisture-Associated Skin Damage (MASD) or friction rather than a pressure injury. MDRPIs result from sustained pressure/shear from the device and usually present with localized ischemia. MASD presents as diffuse, irregular, or kissing lesions from trapped sweat/moisture. Diagnostic Tip: If the injury is deep or mirrors the cuff's edge pressure points, prioritize MDRPI; if superficial, wet, and macerated, categorize as MASD.
Contrast the Wagner Classification System with the University of Texas (UT) Diabetic Foot Ulcer Classification System regarding how they handle infection.
Show answer →In the Wagner system, infection is a specific grade (Grade 3). In the UT system, infection and ischemia are stages (A, B, C, D) that are applied across every grade (0, 1, 2, 3) of depth. This makes the UT system more multidimensional. WCC Exam Tip: Remember Wagner is a linear 0-5 scale; UT is a matrix.
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Try 30 free WCC cards firstThe full WCC deck contains 1000 flashcards, and 160 of them focus on diagnostics. This page shows 5 free samples.
Our WCC deck dedicates 160 of 1000 cards (16%) to diagnostics — always cross-check the official NAWCO exam outline for the current blueprint weighting.
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