Problem
Mrs. Andrews shares that she has had some wetness on her back and has been using tissues to wipe off and scratch her back. She also is having increased incision pain. She attributes her symptoms to the back brace because "it makes me sweat and itch."Her daughter noted that the incision was reddened with a small amount of drainage coming from the site. Mrs. Andrews was seen by the surgeon, and an incision and drainage of the back wound were performed.
a) What do you need to include when assessing the wound for infection?
b) If Mrs. Andrews were to develop a systemic infection as a result of the localized wound infection, which assessments would you expect to find? Explain your answers.
c) Which methods of infection control do you need to use when caring for Mrs. Andrews?