The nurse is assigned to care for several patients on the surgical unit. Which patient need will the nurse address first?
a. A patient who is waiting for discharge teaching before going home
b. A patient who needs to be ambulated for the first time postoperatively
c. A patient who has not voided since the catheter was removed 8 hours ago
d. A patient who requires a daily dressing change to the surgical incision
ANS: C
Urinary retention is common after removal of urinary catheters and must be addressed promptly. The nurse should address the patient with urinary retention first because it is the highest priority. The other patients may wait until later.
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