Quiz Yourself

Ms. Machin, a 34-year-old patient, had a cesarean section five days ago. During a routine follow-up, you notice that her surgical dressing has been removed, and there is a small wound (separation of the surgical wound) at the incision site. She reports mild discomfort but no signs of infection (e.g., redness, heat, or purulent discharge). Ms. Machin is concerned because she needs to care for her two young children at home.

As the nurse, what should you do as a priority? *

Apply Steri-Strips to approximate the wound edges and reinforce with a clean dressing.

Advise Ms. Machin to avoid lifting her children and provide instructions on activity modification.

Notify the doctor immediately for further instructions.

Clean the wound with an antiseptic solution and leave it open to air.

Mr. Delacruz, a 58-year-old patient, is recovering on the surgical floor following an open abdominal procedure performed five days ago. While assisting him during a coughing episode, he suddenly becomes alarmed and states, “Something just gave way in my belly.

”You quickly inspect the abdominal incision and observe a separation in the wound with visible tissue protruding through the opening. Mr. Delacruz appears anxious but
remains hemodynamically stable.

What is your priority intervention? *

Reassure the patient and check vital signs.

Cover the wound with sterile saline-moistened gauze and notify the surgeon.

Instruct the patient to lie flat and call for help.

Apply pressure to the wound to stop any bleeding.

Mr. Lewis, a 62-year-old client, is recovering from thoracic surgery performed three days ago. During your morning rounds, he reports experiencing pain at the incision site whenever he coughs or takes a deep breath. He appears apprehensive and states that the pain discourages him from performing breathing exercises. His vital signs are stable, and the surgical dressing appears dry and intact. He asks if the pain is normal and what he can do to relieve it.

Which action would the nurse take? *

Instruct the client to splint the wound with a pillow when coughing

Place the client in the supine position and inspect the site of the incision

Assess the intensity of the pain and administer the prescribed analgesic

Notify the health care provider immediately

Ms. Rivera, a 47-year-old client, is in the postoperative unit after undergoing abdominal surgery two days ago. She is wearing an abdominal binder to provide support
to her incision site, reduce pain during movement, and minimize the risk of wound complications. The physician has prescribed a dressing change to the surgical site. You are preparing to perform the procedure while ensuring her comfort and maintaining wound integrity.

Which intervention should the nurse include in relation to the prescribed dressing change? *

Remove the binder to change the abdominal dressing as prescribed and reapply it afterward

Slide the new dressing under the binder to avoid removing it and causing discomfort

Keep the binder in place and change only the outermost layer of the dressing

Loosen the binder slightly without removing it to access the incision site

Mr. Thompson, a 55-year-old patient, has just returned from surgery after undergoing an abdominal procedure. During the post-op assessment, the nurse receives a new order from the health care provider to apply an abdominal binder around the patient’s midsection. The surgical dressing is dry and intact, and the patient is alert and reports mild discomfort at the incision site when moving or coughing.

What is the most likely indication for this intervention? *

Promote blood flow to the incision site

Support the diaphragm and reduce pain when breathing

Reduce stress on the abdominal incision

Prevent the need for frequent dressing changes