Final answer:
Pitting edema is a significant sign of right-sided heart failure, as the condition causes systemic congestion and fluid accumulation in tissues.
Step-by-step explanation:
A significant sign of right-sided heart failure during a nursing assessment is pitting edema. Right-sided heart failure commonly manifests as a systemic congestion due to the heart's inability to pump blood effectively into the pulmonary circulation leading to a backlog of blood in the venous system. This backlog increases pressure in the venous system, forcing fluid out of the capillaries and into the tissues, resulting in pitting edema, particularly in the lower extremities and other parts of the body.