Final answer:
Monitoring for increased redness, swelling, and pain can indicate infection, which requires prompt treatment to prevent complications and promote healing. Observing these signs helped identify an infection in a patient's catheter site and showcased the necessity of vigilant care post-surgery.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is important to watch for increased redness, swelling, and pain after a cut or abrasion has been cleaned and bandaged because these signs can indicate an infection at the site of the wound. Infections can significantly impede healing and may spread to nearby tissues or enter the bloodstream, leading to more serious health complications. In clinical settings, health professionals like surgeons and nurses routinely review key concerns for the recovery and care of a patient to prevent such infections. In cases like Barbara's, the presence of redness, warmth, and fever indicated a localized infection, requiring prompt medical treatment with both topical and systemic antibiotics.
Monitoring for these symptoms is critical to catching and preventing the spread of infection, such as the severe infection necrotizing fasciitis that Mark experienced, which can lead to extensive tissue damage and long-term physical therapy.