The nurse is caring for a group of medical-surgical patients. Which patient is most at risk for developing an infection?

A) A patient who is in observation for chest pain
B) A patient who has been admitted with dehydration
C) A patient who is recovering from a right total hip surgery
D) A patient who has been admitted for stabilization of heart problems

The patient who is recovering from a right total hip surgery has a large incision from the surgery. This break in the skin increases the likelihood of infection. Any break in the integrity of the skin and mucous membranes allows pathogens to enter and exit the body. The patient has had anesthesia, which depresses the respiratory system and has the potential to decrease the expansion of alveoli and to increase the chance of infection in the respiratory system. A patient who is having chest pain, experiencing dehydration, or being admitted with heart problems does not have open incisions that break the skin; therefore, his or her infection risk is lower.