Following a head injury, the client has thin drainage coming from the

Following a head injury, the client has thin drainage coming from the left ear. The nurse describes this drainage as:

1. Serous
2. Purulent
3. Cerebrospinal fluid
4. Serosanguineous

ANSWER

ANS: 1
Serous drainage is clear, watery plasma. Purulent drainage is thick, yellow, green, tan, or brown. Drainage must be tested to determine if it is cerebrospinal fluid. The nurse should de-scribe the drainage by its appearance (i.e., serous). Serosanguineous drainage is pale, red, and watery, a mixture of clear and red fluid.