While assessing the patient at the beginning of the shift, the nurse inspects a surgical dressing covering the operative site after the patients cervical diskectomy. The nurse notes that the drainage is 75% saturated with serosanguineous discharge. What is the nurses most appropriate action?

(A) Page the physician and report this sign of infection. (B) Reinforce the dressing and reassess in 1 to 2 hours. (C) Reposition the patient to prevent further hemorrhage. (D) Inform the surgeon of the possibility of a dural leak.Answer Explanation: After a cervical diskectomy, the nurse will monitor the operative site and dressing covering this site. Serosanguineous drainage may indicate a dural leak. This constitutes a risk for meningitis, but is not a direct sign of infection. This should be reported to the surgeon, not just reinforced and observed.