A client recovering from abdominal surgery has clear fluid draining from the surgical wound site. Their vital signs are stable, but they report feeling light-headed when sitting upright. Which intervention should the nurse prioritize?
Increase the client’s oral fluid intake to prevent dehydration.
Notify the primary healthcare provider about the clear wound drainage.
Position the client flat to promote circulation and reassess their symptoms.
Perform a neurological assessment to rule out neurological deficits.
The correct answer ensures the nurse addresses a potential underlying cause of the symptoms and minimizes the risk of serious complications. Clear wound drainage might indicate a seroma, surgical site issues, or other underlying problems, while symptoms of light-headedness could suggest changes in hydration or circulation. Placing the client flat helps stabilize circulation via enhanced venous return, reducing the immediate risk of hypotension and further complications. Other options are appropriate but do not address the priority in this specific scenario. For example, notifying the healthcare provider is important, but the nurse should first stabilize the client before escalating care. Increasing oral fluids is a longer-term intervention but does not address the current symptoms, and a neurological assessment is not the most relevant action for this context.
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