When changing a wound dressing, which technique reduces the risk of introducing infection?

Touching the wound bed to check it

A wound is increasingly painful with spreading redness, heat and more exudate. What does this suggest?

Wound infection needing assessment and likely a swab

That the dressing is too tight only

Should a wound with no signs of infection be routinely swabbed?

No; swab only when infection is clinically suspected

Yes, swab every wound at each dressing change

Only if the patient requests it

What is the main purpose of choosing the right dressing for a wound?

To suit the wound's needs, such as managing exudate and supporting healing

To use the cheapest option available

To change it as rarely as possible regardless of the wound

Part B4 of 8 Providing and Evaluating Care Chapter 47 of 75

Wound Assessment and Dressing Questions

NMC CBT wound care practice: assessment, aseptic non-touch technique, signs of infection, dressing choice, and worked scenario answers.

Start reading ← Bank contents ~5 min read

By JobLabs Editorial · UK healthcare reference editorial team

· July 16, 2026 · Updated Jul 17, 2026 · 2 min read

Wounds heal best when they are assessed properly, kept clean, and dressed to suit what they actually need. The CBT tests structured assessment, aseptic technique, and the judgement behind swabbing and dressing choices.

Assess before you dress

A good wound assessment looks at several things: the tissue in the wound bed, the amount and type of exudate, the wound edges and the surrounding skin, and any signs of infection. Recording these over time shows whether the wound is improving or deteriorating. Assessment is not just a glance before slapping on a dressing.

Aseptic non-touch technique

The technique the exam always checks is aseptic non-touch technique. When changing a dressing, you protect the key parts, the wound itself and the parts of the equipment that will contact it, from contamination, keeping the field clean and not touching them directly. This reduces the chance of introducing infection into the wound. Touching the wound bed to inspect it, or a casual clean approach, are wrong answers.

Recognising infection, and swabbing sensibly

Signs of wound infection include increasing pain, redness spreading around the wound, heat, swelling, more or discoloured exudate, odour, and sometimes fever. When these appear, the wound needs assessment and usually a swab to identify the organism and guide treatment.

But you do not swab every wound. Wounds normally carry bacteria without being infected, so routine swabbing is unhelpful and can trigger unnecessary antibiotics. A swab is taken when infection is clinically suspected, not as a matter of routine. This distinction comes up often.

Dressings and how wounds heal

Dressings are chosen to match the wound, managing exudate, keeping the right moisture balance, and supporting healing, rather than picked on cost or appearance. And it helps to know the two patterns of healing: primary intention, where clean edges are brought together and closed, as in a sutured surgical wound; and secondary intention, where a wound is left open to heal from the base up, as with many pressure ulcers. Next: diabetes and insulin management. Five wound care scenarios first.

Sources & further reading

Key takeaway from Wound Assessment and Dressing Questions

Frequently asked questions

What is aseptic non-touch technique?

A method for dressing changes and clinical procedures that protects the key parts of the wound and equipment from contamination, by not touching them directly and keeping the field clean. It reduces the risk of introducing infection into the wound.

What are signs a wound is infected?

Increasing pain, redness spreading around the wound, heat, swelling, more or discoloured exudate, an odour, and sometimes systemic signs like fever. Infection is recognised clinically, and a wound swab is taken when infection is suspected, not routinely.

Should every wound be swabbed?

No. Swabbing is done when there are clinical signs of infection, to identify the organism and guide treatment. Routinely swabbing every wound is unhelpful, because wounds carry bacteria without being infected, and it can lead to unnecessary antibiotics.

Check your understanding

Quick quiz: Wound Assessment and Dressing Questions

5questions. Click an answer to see the explanation. Your score is saved on this device only.

1
When changing a wound dressing, which technique reduces the risk of introducing infection?
Aseptic non-touch technique protects the key parts of the wound and equipment from contamination, lowering the risk of infection. Touching the wound bed directly, using a casual approach, or reusing a dressing would all increase that risk.
2
A wound is increasingly painful with spreading redness, heat and more exudate. What does this suggest?
Rising pain, spreading redness, heat and increasing exudate are classic signs of wound infection. This needs assessment, a swab to identify the organism, and appropriate treatment. Dismissing it as normal healing would let an infection progress.
3
Should a wound with no signs of infection be routinely swabbed?
Wounds normally carry bacteria without being infected, so routine swabbing is unhelpful and can lead to unnecessary antibiotics. A swab is taken when there are clinical signs of infection, to identify the organism and guide treatment.
4
What is the main purpose of choosing the right dressing for a wound?
Dressings are chosen to match the wound: managing the level of exudate, keeping the right moisture balance, and supporting healing. Choosing purely on cost or appearance, or minimising changes regardless of what the wound needs, can slow healing or cause harm.
5
A surgical wound closed with sutures is healing with clean, approximated edges. What type of healing is this?
A wound with edges brought together and closed, such as a sutured surgical wound, heals by primary intention. Healing by secondary intention is when a wound is left open to granulate and heal from the base up, as with many pressure ulcers or infected wounds.