Certified Wound Specialist (CWS) Practice Test 2025 – All-in-One Study Guide to Achieve Exam Success!

Malnutrition can significantly impair the body's ability to heal wounds. When an individual is malnourished, there is a reduction in the availability of essential nutrients, particularly proteins, which are crucial for the synthesis of connective tissue and other key components in the healing process. Connective tissue formation relies heavily on adequate protein intake to provide the amino acids necessary for collagen synthesis, which is vital for wound repair.

Inadequate protein levels can lead to reduced collagen formation and integrity, resulting in compromised healing and increased risk of complications, such as infections and dehiscence. Additionally, malnutrition can affect overall immune response and delay the inflammatory phase of wound healing, further disrupting normal repair mechanisms.

The other options suggest beneficial effects on wound healing, which do not align with the consequences of malnutrition. It is the diminished availability of protein due to malnutrition that ultimately hampers the body's ability to effectively repair damaged tissue.