Oregon Certified Nursing Assistant State Practice Exam

A type of dry application is a?

1. Sitz bath

2. Warm soak

3. Warm or cold compress

4. Ice bag

The correct answer is: Ice bag

The correct answer is that a type of dry application is an ice bag. An ice bag is considered a dry application because it typically involves wrapping ice or frozen materials in a bag or cloth and applying it directly to the skin. This method reduces swelling, alleviates pain, and provides localized cold therapy without the use of water, which characterizes a 'dry' application. In contrast, a Sitz bath, warm soak, and warm or cold compress all involve the use of water or moisture. A Sitz bath involves sitting in warm water for therapeutic purposes, while a warm soak encompasses immersing a body part in warm water. Warm or cold compresses use a cloth or other material moistened with warm or cold water to provide therapy, thus making them wet applications rather than dry ones. Therefore, the ice bag is uniquely categorized as a dry application due to its lack of moisture in the treatment process.