Tissue Integrity NSG 100 Exam 3 Practice

Wound bed quality determines healing potential, and the different tissue types signal what the wound needs next. Necrotic tissue is dead tissue that blocks the wound bed, hinders oxygen and nutrient diffusion, and can harbor bacteria. Because of that, removing necrotic tissue through debridement is essential to unlock the bed for healing. Slough is a form of necrotic tissue that is yellow or gray and often loosely attached; it also blocks granulation and epithelialization, so removing it helps expose viable tissue and move healing forward. Granulation tissue, in contrast, is the healthy, pink or red, moist tissue with new capillaries that forms as the wound heals; its presence indicates that the wound is progressing toward closure. The management goal is to remove necrotic and slough tissue to allow granulation tissue to form, while protecting and supporting the granulation bed with appropriate moisture and infection control.

Other statements misdefine these tissues—for example, necrotic tissue is dead, not healthy; slough is not new tissue; granulation tissue is not pale and inactive.