The dressing surrounding a mastectomy patient's Jackson-Pratt drain has scant drainage on it. The nurse believes that the amount of drainage on the dressing may be increasing. How can the nurse best confirm this suspicion?
A) Describe the appearance of the dressing in the electronic health record.
B) Photograph the patient's abdomen for later comparison using a smartphone.
C) Trace the outline of the drainage on the dressing for future comparison.
D) Remove and weigh the dressing, reapply it, and then repeat in 8 hours.
Ans: C
Feedback:
Spots of drainage on a dressing are outlined with a pen, and the date and time of the outline are recorded on the dressing so that increased drainage can be easily seen. A dressing is never removed and then reapplied. Photographs normally require informed consent, so they would not be used for this purpose. Documentation is necessary, but does not confirm or rule out an increase in drainage.
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