Evolve HESI Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Resource to Master Your Nursing Exam Success!

Monitoring for signs of infection is crucial in nursing practice, particularly in patients with wounds or surgical sites. The correct answer identifies key indicators that are directly associated with infection.

Fever is a systemic response often triggered by an infection as the body raises its temperature to help combat pathogens. Redness and swelling at the site of a wound indicate localized inflammation, which is a common response to infection as blood flow increases to deliver immune cells to the area. Discharge from the wound, especially if it is purulent (containing pus), strongly suggests an infectious process occurring, signaling the presence of bacteria or other pathogens.

In contrast, the other choices reflect symptoms that may occur due to various conditions but are not specific indicators of infection. Nausea, vomiting, and dizziness can be related to numerous gastrointestinal or systemic issues, while fatigue, headache, and muscle pain can arise from a variety of non-infectious causes, such as stress or chronic illness. Lastly, a dry cough and sore throat can indicate respiratory issues, but they do not specifically point to an infection, especially in a wound context.

Therefore, while each of the other symptoms has its significance in assessing patient health, they do not represent the classic signs of infection as clearly as fever,