The nurse is providing care for a 21-year-old female client with gas gangrene secondary to her compound fracture in her arm. Which of the following assessment findings would the nurse most reasonably expect to find when caring for a client with a diagnosis of gas gangrene?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Spreading edema is a cardinal sign of gas gangrene. It is often caused by Clostridium bacteria, not Staphylococcus. Inflammation may exist at the interface between affected and unaffected tissue, but not in the dead, affected tissue. Impaired gas exchange would not be a sign.

The Nurse Is Providing Care for a 21-Year-Old Female Client