medium · NCLEX-RN safety
At 0930, the nurse in the medical-surgical unit is caring for a 61-year-old male with a negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) system on a diabetic foot ulcer. The NPWT unit displays a 'blockage/obstruction' alarm. The nurse notes that the tubing is free of kinks, but there is a stagnant, thick column of wound exudate pooled in the distal suction line, and the canister is only 10% full.
What is the nurse's safest first action?
- Disconnect the tubing from the canister and flush the line with 20 mL of sterile normal saline toward the wound.
- Gently massage or roll the tubing to break up the coagulated fluid column and check that all clamps are open.
- Lower the NPWT unit below the level of the client's foot to let gravity drain the pooled exudate.
- Increase the suction setting to -150 mm Hg to force the obstruction into the canister.
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