The patient experienced a surgical procedure, and Betadine was utilized as the surgical prep. Two days postoperatively, the nurse's assessment indicates that the incision is red and has a small amount of purulent drainage. The patient reports tenderness at the incision site. The patient's temperature is 100.5° F, and the WBC is 10,500/mm³. Which action should the nurse take first?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nursing assessment indicates signs and symptoms of infection, requiring the primary health care provider to be notified of the patient's needs. SBAR-Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation-can be utilized to organize thoughts and data and to provide a thorough explanation of the patient's current status. The reevaluation of temperature is a good choice, but it will take longer than 4 hours to make a change in the white blood cells. Changing the dressing may be a need during the shift but is not a first priority. Checking to see about the skin preparation used 2 days ago may or may not be useful information at this time.

The Patient Experienced a Surgical Procedure, and Betadine Was Utilized