The nurse is preparing discharge instructions for a client with a surgical wound. Which instruction is most important for the client to follow?
1. Adjust your diet so it contains more fruits and vegetables.
2. Apply lubricating lotion to the edges of the wound.
3. Notify your physician if you notice edema, heat, or tenderness at the wound site.
4. Thoroughly irrigate the wound with hydrogen peroxide.
3. Notify your physician if you notice edema, heat, or tenderness at the wound site.
Rationale:
A client being discharged with an open surgical wound has to be instructed on the detection of infection since the skin is the first line of defense. Signs such as edema, heat, and tenderness would indicate a local infection. Increasing fruits and vegetables would increase vitamin C, which helps with wound healing, but more protein would be the best choice. Applying lubricating lotion to the edges of a wound would impede the healing process. Irrigating with hydrogen peroxide would break down good granulating tissue, so this also would not increase healing.
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