Question

The nurse is taking care of a client on the second post-operative day who asks about wound dehiscence. Which response by the nurse is most accurate?

a. "It's a normal part of the healing process."
b. "It's an infection of the surgical site."
c. "It's a separation of the wound layers."
d. "It's excessive bleeding from the wound."

Answer 1

The most accurate response about wound dehiscence is that it's a separation of the wound layers. It's a complication that can occur after surgery and is not considered a normal part of the healing process. During skin healing, after initial clotting, the body removes toxins and rebuilds tissue, including new vascularization.

Step-by-step explanation:

In response to the question about wound dehiscence, the most accurate answer the nurse can provide is: "It's a separation of the wound layers." Wound dehiscence is a serious postoperative complication where the edges of a surgical incision fail to stay together, potentially leading to the wound reopening along the surgical site. This can happen after an operation, and it may be due to several factors including infection, poor wound healing, or excessive stress on the wound.

Regarding the healing process after a skin injury, the body immediately initiates a response to halt bleeding, usually forming a blood clot. The next response would be the removal of toxins and waste products, followed by the entry of fibroblasts that aid in the repair of the tissue by replacing lost collagen and extracellular material. New blood vessels also develop in the process known as angiogenesis, contributing to the formation of granulation tissue.