A nurse is providing ongoing postoperative care to a client who has had knee surgery. The nurse assesses the dressing and finds it saturated with blood. The client is restless and has a rapid pulse. What should the nurse do next?
A) Document the data and apply a new dressing.
B) Apply a pressure dressing and report findings.
C) Reassure the family that this is a common problem.
D) Make assessments every 15 minutes for four hours.
Ans: B
Hemorrhage is an excessive internal or external loss of blood. Common indications of hemorrhage include a rapid, thready pulse. If bleeding occurs, the nurse should apply a pressure dressing to the site, report findings to the physician, and be prepared to return the client to the operating room if bleeding cannot be stopped or is massive.
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