Ace the Certified Medical-Surgical Nurse Exam 2026 – Your Road to RN Mastery!

Redness at the incision site is a commonly recognized sign of postoperative infection. Following surgery, an incision is created, and any infection in that area can lead to localized symptoms. Redness typically indicates inflammation and may be accompanied by other signs such as warmth, swelling, and pain, suggesting that the body is responding to an infection.

Persistent vomiting can indicate a variety of issues, such as anesthesia side effects or gastrointestinal problems, but it's not specifically indicative of infection. Abdominal distension is often seen after surgery due to gas accumulation or ileus rather than infection. Increased heart rate may be a generalized response to pain or anxiety and is not exclusive to infection; it can also occur due to other postoperative conditions such as dehydration or blood loss.