A 31-year-old patient has returned to the post-surgical unit following a hysterectomy. The patient's care plan addresses the risk of hemorrhage. How should the nurse best monitor the patient's postoperative blood loss?
A) Have the patient void and have bowel movements using a commode rather than toilet.
B) Count and inspect each perineal pad that the patient uses.
C) Swab the patient's perineum for the presence of blood at least once per shift.
D) Leave the patient's perineum open to air to facilitate inspection.
Ans: B
Feedback:
To detect bleeding, the nurse counts the perineal pads used or checks the incision site, assesses the extent of saturation with blood, and monitors vital signs. The perineum is not swabbed and there is no reason to prohibit the use of the toilet. Absorbent pads are applied to the perineum; it is not open to air.
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