The nurse assesses several preoperative patients for potential postoperative referrals to the wound care team.Which patient assessment does the nurse use to identify the patient who is least likely to have delayed postoperative wound healing?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient with the lowest risk of delayed wound healing is the patient scheduled for a tubal ligation because she is likely to be 40 years old or younger,decreasing the risk for chronic disease.She is likely to have generally good health as evidenced by a live vaginal birth.The older patient with coronary artery disease and hypertension has atherosclerotic lesions in the heart aggravated by high blood pressure.The patient is likely to have atherosclerotic lesions in other vessels because atherosclerosis is a nonselective disease; thus the patient is at risk for delayed healing because of the potential for impaired tissue perfusion.Radiation therapy increases the risk of postradiation scarring and fibrosis which increases the risk of delayed healing.The patient taking prednisone is at high risk for delayed healing because glucocorticoids suppress inflammation and the immune system.

The Nurse Assesses Several Preoperative Patients for Potential Postoperative Referrals