Question

Test Questions for Abscess Management: A Guide for the Healthcare Team
1) Which of the following is a patient with a furuncle most likely to present with?

Multiple itchy, painful lesions
Firm, discrete, red nodule
Multiple, small lesions covering the extremities
Cellulitis, fever, and lymphangitis
2) Which of the following physical signs is commonly associated with carbuncles?

Presence of a single lesion
Presence of broad, swollen, deep follicular masses
Lack of systemic signs such as fever
Lesions that drain spontaneously
3) Which of the following indicates using systemic antibiotics to treat abscesses?

Lesions > 3 mm
Lesions that resolve with drainage
Evidence of expanding cellulitis
Immunocompetent patients
4) Which of the following is an appropriate management strategy for abscesses?

The treatment of abscesses always involves the use of systemic antibiotics
Large furuncles can be treated with moist heat to encourage drainage
Topical therapies, including clindamycin or mupirocin, can be prescribed
Small furuncles always require incision and drainage
5) Antibiotics should be effective in treating abscesses from

Staphylococcus aureus
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Haemophilus influenzae
6) Which antibiotic is commonly used to treat abscesses with suspected MRSA?

Amoxicillin
Cephalexin
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
Penicillin
7) Which antibiotic, used to treat furuncles and carbuncles, works by reversibly binding to 50S ribosomal subunits and preventing peptide bond formation?

Doxycycline
Minocycline
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
Clindamycin
8) Which of the following is an effective collaborative strategy for addressing barriers to timely abscess treatment in an interprofessional care team?

Increasing workload expectations for individual team members
Holding regular interdisciplinary meetings to align roles and responsibilities
Delegating all patient education responsibilities to nurses
Requiring each discipline to submit independent treatment plans
9) Which of the following is an appropriate dose for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in the treatment of furuncles?

100 mg orally every 12 hours
300 mg orally every 6 hours
600 mg orally every 8 hours
800/160 mg orally twice daily
10) Which of the following is a patient counseling point for patients with abscesses?

There are numerous self-care options to treat abscesses
Apply cold compresses every 30 minutes to reduce swelling
Take ibuprofen for pain and swelling
Avoid covering the infected area

Answer 1

1) Firm, discrete, red nodule — furuncles (boils) typically present as a single, painful, firm red nodule centered on a hair follicle.

2) Presence of broad, swollen, deep follicular masses — carbuncles are clusters of interconnected furuncles producing broad, swollen, deep masses and often multiple drainage points and systemic signs.

3) Evidence of expanding cellulitis — systemic antibiotics are indicated when there is surrounding/expanding cellulitis or systemic signs, immunosuppression, or multiple lesions.

4) Large furuncles can be treated with moist heat to encourage drainage — moist heat promotes maturation and spontaneous drainage; not all abscesses always need systemic antibiotics and small furuncles may resolve without I&D.

5) Staphylococcus aureus — most cutaneous abscesses are caused by S. aureus (including MRSA strains).

6) Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole — a commonly used oral agent for suspected MRSA skin infections.

7) Clindamycin — it reversibly binds the 50S ribosomal subunit and inhibits peptide bond formation.

8) Holding regular interdisciplinary meetings to align roles and responsibilities — regular interdisciplinary coordination helps address barriers to timely care.

9) 800/160 mg orally twice daily — one double-strength TMP-SMX tablet (800 mg SMX / 160 mg TMP) twice daily is a common adult regimen.

10) Take ibuprofen for pain and swelling — NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen) are appropriate for pain and inflammation; also counsel on warm compresses, wound care, and covering drainage.