A nurse is providing ongoing postoperative care to a client who has had knee surgery. The nurse assesses the dressing and finds it saturated with blood. The client is restless and has a rapid pulse. What should the nurse do next?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The saturated dressing and the client's symptoms of restlessness and rapid pulse indicate potential bleeding complications. Applying a pressure dressing can help control the bleeding, and the nurse should report the findings to the healthcare provider for further intervention. Simply documenting the data and applying a new dressing without addressing the bleeding would be inadequate. Reassuring the family without taking immediate action to address the bleeding could put the client at risk. Making assessments every 15 minutes for four hours may be appropriate, but addressing the potential bleeding complication should be the priority.

A Nurse Is Providing Ongoing Postoperative Care to a Client