The nurse is collecting a culture of a wound. During the procedure, the patient asks what is a culture? Which of the following is the best response by the nurse to explain why she is culturing the wound?

A. "All patients are presumed infectious.": This statement reflects the principle of universal precautions, which assumes that all patients may potentially transmit infectious agents, regardless of their diagnosis or symptoms. It emphasizes the importance of implementing infection prevention practices for every patient encounter to minimize the risk of transmission.
B. "Isolation is not required for most diseases.": While isolation precautions may not be required for all diseases, the statement does not fully capture the concept of universal precautions.
C. "Patients with a known infection are placed in isolation only when they are admitted.": This statement is not accurate as patients with known infections should be placed in isolation as soon as possible to prevent the spread of infection to others.
D. "Patients are not considered infectious until confirmed so by the laboratory.": Waiting for laboratory confirmation before implementing infection control measures could lead to delays in preventing transmission, as patients may be infectious before laboratory results are available.

A. Normal white blood cell count: In wound sepsis, the white blood cell count is typically elevated as part of the body's immune response to infection, not normal.
B. Fever and chills: Fever (hyperthermia) and chills are common signs of systemic infection, including wound sepsis. They indicate an inflammatory response and activation of the body's defense mechanisms.
C. Decreased pain at the wound site: Increased pain at the wound site is more commonly associated with wound infection, not decreased pain.
D. Redness and swelling: Redness (erythema) and swelling (edema) are local signs of inflammation and can be present in infected wounds, but they are not specific to wound sepsis and may occur in non-infected wounds as well.