While assessing the patient at the beginning of the shift, the nurse inspects a surgical dressing covering the operative site after the patients' cervical diskectomy
The nurse notes that the drainage is 75% saturated with serosanguineous discharge. What is the nurse's most appropriate action?
A) Page the physician and report this sign of infection.
B) Reinforce the dressing and reassess in 1 to 2 hours.
C) Reposition the patient to prevent further hemorrhage.
D) Inform the surgeon of the possibility of a dural leak.
Ans: D
Feedback:
After a cervical diskectomy, the nurse will monitor the operative site and dressing covering this site. Serosanguineous drainage may indicate a dural leak. This constitutes a risk for meningitis, but is not a direct sign of infection. This should be reported to the surgeon, not just reinforced and observed.
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