Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE) Practice Exam

The type of burn characterized by the formation of blisters is the superficial partial thickness burn. This type of burn impacts both the epidermis and the upper layers of the dermis, leading to significant inflammation and the development of blisters.

Blisters form as a result of the damage to the dermal layer, where fluid accumulates between the epidermis and dermis in response to the injury. Superficial partial thickness burns are typically painful and can be red, swollen, and moist in appearance due to the presence of fluid.

In contrast, superficial burns only involve the epidermis and usually do not produce blisters, instead presenting with redness and dryness. Full thickness burns go deeper into the skin layers, damaging both the epidermis and dermis, and typically do not result in blisters but rather in a waxy or charred appearance. Deep partial thickness burns affect a deeper layer of the dermis and, while they may produce blisters, they often also present with white or pale areas that indicate deeper tissue damage compared to superficial partial thickness burns.