A pressure ulcer that can be dressed with a transparent or hydrocolloid dressing is at which stage?

• A. Stage II
• B. Stage I
• C. Stage III
• D. Stage IV

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that dressing choices reflect how deep the pressure injury has penetrated. When there is partial-thickness skin loss with a visible wound bed—think a shallow open area or a blister—the wound benefits from a moist, protective cover that also allows easy observation. Transparent dressings are ideal because they protect the wound while letting you see what’s happening, and hydrocolloid dressings create a moist environment that supports healing and autolytic debridement. These features suit shallow injuries where depth is limited and the wound bed is exposed pink or red tissue.

In contrast, deeper ulcers with full-thickness loss exposing fat, muscle, or bone require more robust dressings that manage drainage and protect surrounding tissue, rather than just a simple transparent or hydrocolloid cover. If the skin is still intact with nonblanchable redness, that’s not an ulcer with a wound bed to dress, and the focus is on pressure relief and skin protection rather than wound dressing.