A nurse is caring for a client with a Stage 4 pressure injury on the sacrum being managed with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). During assessment, the nurse notes the wound drainage canister is full and the wound vac alarm is sounding. Which action should the nurse take first?
- A.Increase the suction setting to draw remaining drainage from the wound
- B.Silence the alarm and document the finding in the chart
- C.Turn off the NPWT device, change the canister per protocol, and restart therapy
- D.Remove the wound dressing and reassess the wound base
Show answer & rationale
Correct answer
C. Turn off the NPWT device, change the canister per protocol, and restart therapy
Rationale
C is correct: When the NPWT canister is full, the device alarms and therapy is interrupted. The nurse must turn off the device, change the full canister according to facility protocol, and restart therapy to maintain continuous negative pressure. Prolonged interruption can allow the wound to dry out and delay healing. A is incorrect: Increasing suction with a full canister will not draw more drainage and risks damage to the device or wound. B is incorrect: Silencing an alarm without addressing the full canister leaves the wound without therapeutic negative pressure. D is incorrect: Removing the wound dressing is not indicated for a full canister; doing so disrupts the sterile wound environment unnecessarily.
Key concepts