The student nurse assessed the client's skin. The student nurse documented "+1 edema right lower leg.". The experienced nurse expects to find which of the following based on the student nurse's documentation?

Question

1. The presence of slight pitting, no obvious distortion
2. Deep pitting, obvious distortion
3. Pitting is obvious, extremities are swollen
4. Moderate amount of edema

Answer 1

1
Rationale 1: Edema, or accumulation of fluid in the body's tissues, is recorded as +1, +2, +3, or +4. The designation +1 means the client has slight pitting in the right lower leg with no obvious distortion.
Rationale 2: Deep pitting with obvious distortion may be documented as +4 edema.
Rationale 3: Obvious pitting with swollen extremities may be described as +3 edema.
Rationale 4: A moderate amount of edema may be described as +2 to +3 edema.