Question

A nurse is irrigating a patient's abdominal wound 2 days postoperatively. Which finding would need to be reported to the health care provider?

a. Drainage that was not present previously
b. Redness at the abdominal suture line
c. Granulation tissue in the wound bed
d. The patient reports less pain

Answer 1

New drainage appearing at the site of a patient's postoperative abdominal wound is a finding that the nurse should report to the healthcare provider, as this could indicate a problem such as an infection or change in wound condition.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse irrigating a patient's abdominal wound 2 days postoperatively should report the finding of Drainage that was not present previously to the healthcare provider. The presence of new drainage can indicate that an infection is developing or that there has been a change in the condition of the wound, which may necessitate further intervention or alteration of the current treatment plan. While redness at the abdominal suture line could be expected postoperatively as a part of the healing process, and granulation tissue in the wound bed signifies normal wound healing, the appearance of unexpected drainage is a concern. Whereas less pain reported by the patient would typically be a positive sign indicating recovery, the emergence of new drainage after surgery could suggest a complication.