A nurse is preparing to assist with a surgical procedure that involves electrocautery. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to prevent burns to the patient?

Choice A reason:

Compressing the drain reservoir before closing the wound creates a vacuum that helps to suction out the fluid from the wound and prevent infection. This is a common practice for bulb-type drains that apply gentle suction.

Choice B reason:

Securing the drain tubing to the patient's skin with tape is not necessary and may cause skin irritation or damage. The drain tubing can be attached to the patient's clothes with a safety pin or secured near the bandage.

Choice C reason:

Emptying the drain reservoir when it is half full and measuring the output is part of the drain care at home, not during the surgical procedure. The patient or caregiver should empty the drain 2 to 3 times a day (or more), depending on the amount of output, and record it in a chart.

Choice D reason:

Flushing the drain tubing with saline solution every 4 hours is not recommended and may introduce infection or clog the tubing. The tubing should be kept clear by squeezing or "milking”. it occasionally to prevent clots from forming. : Instructions for Surgical Drain Care - Cleveland Clinic : How to Care for Your Surgical Drain at Home - Verywell Health : Surgical Drain Care: Care Instructions | Kaiser Permanente.

Choice A reason:

Using a standardized counting method and sequence for each procedure helps to ensure consistency and accuracy in the counting process. It also reduces the risk of confusion or miscommunication among the surgical team members. This is a recommended standard of practice by the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST)

Choice B reason:

Separating sponges into groups of five or ten and counting them as one unit helps to facilitate counting and prevent foreign body retention. It also allows for easier identification of missing sponges in case of an incorrect count. This is another recommended standard of practice by the AST.

Choice C reason:

Keeping instruments and supplies on separate trays according to their function does not necessarily facilitate counting or prevent foreign body retention. It may help to organize the surgical field, but it does not address the issue of counting or documenting the items used during the procedure. Therefore, this is not a correct answer.

Choice D reason:

Using a white board or paper to record the counts and update them as needed helps to facilitate counting and prevent foreign body retention. It provides a visual reference for the surgical team members and allows for easy verification of the counts at any time during the procedure. It also helps to document any discrepancies or changes in the counts. This is another recommended standard of practice by the AST.

Choice E reason:

Discarding any unused items before the final count does not facilitate counting or prevent foreign body retention. It may actually increase the risk of losing track of the items used during the procedure or leaving some items inside the patient. Therefore, this is not a correct answer.