The nurse is caring for a patient who has a dressing over a surgical wound created the night before.The dressing has never been changed.How should the nurse proceed?
A)Change the dressing so she can assess the wound.
B)Administer an analgesic 30 to 45 minutes before a dressing change.
C)Culture the wound if wound exudate is present.
D)Administer an analgesic 30 minutes after a dressing change.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To promote patient comfort,administer an analgesic as ordered,usually 30 to 45 minutes before changing the dressing.However,you will need to assess to determine the best time for analgesic administration before providing wound care.Do not remove an initial surgical dressing for direct wound inspection until a physician writes a medical order for removal.The presence of wound exudate is an expected stage of epithelial cell growth.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient Who Has a Dressing