Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 83%
Full-length
The nurse notes dark red blood and a few clots in the catheter of a client two days after a transurethral prostatectomy (TURP). The nurse should first:
Correct answer
B
Rationale
The appearance of dark red blood with a few clots indicates a venous bleed. Traction to the urethral catheter and increasing the client's fluid intake should be tried first before calling the doctor. Answer A would be indicated for the client with an arterial bleed, which is characterized by the appearance of bright red blood and many clots in the catheter, so it is incorrect.