The nurse is caring for a patient the first postoperative day following a laparotomy for a small bowel obstruction. The nurse notices new bright-red drainage about 5 cm in diameter on the dressing. Which action should the nurse take first?
a. Reinforce the dressing.
b. Apply an abdominal binder.
c. Take the patient's vital signs.
d. Recheck the dressing in 1 hour for increased drainage.
ANS: C
New bright-red drainage may indicate hemorrhage, and the nurse should initially assess the patient's vital signs for tachycardia and hypotension. The surgeon should then be notified of the drainage and the vital signs. The dressing may be changed or reinforced, based on the surgeon's orders or institutional policy. The nurse should not wait an hour to recheck the dressing.
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