Question

A nurse caring for a post-operative client observes the drainage in the client's closed wound drainage system. The drainage is thin with a pale pink-yellow color. The nurse documents the drainage as which of the following?

A) Serosanguineous
B) Serous
C) Hemorrhagic
D) Purulent

Answer 1

The pale pink-yellow color drainage observed in a post-operative client's closed wound system is documented as serosanguineous, indicating a mixture of serous fluid and red blood cells common in early-stage wound healing.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse caring for a post-operative client observes the drainage in the client's closed wound drainage system. The drainage is thin with a pale pink-yellow color. The nurse documents the drainage as serosanguineous. This type of drainage is common in the early stages of wound healing and is composed of both serous fluid and red blood cells, giving it the characteristic pale pink-yellow color. It can be distinguished from serous drainage, which is clear and watery, and from purulent drainage, which is thick and yellow or green with a sign of infection. Hemorrhagic drainage would be primarily composed of blood, indicating active bleeding.