chest tube drainage

[vashtee, RN]

Can someone please tell me if cranberry-colored drainage coming from a chest tube would be described as "sanguineous" or "serosanguineous" drainage? The problem is that when I think if sanguineous, I think of blood-red, and serosanguineous as more blood-tinged (pinkish) serum.

Normally, I would just describe it in my charting as "cranberry-colored" because it paints the best picture in my mind, but I am writing a case study and feel that medical terminology would probably be best.

I'd really appreciate any help!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

look up the definitions of both words in a medical dictionary before using them. neither sounded anything like "cranberry" colored.

when charting wound drainage describe exactly what you see and only use words where you know and understand their meanings. i don't see anything wrong with charting "cranberry colored drainage" and i worked with chest tubes a lot. that sounds a lot like old blood that's been hanging around in the tube a while to me.

if you don't know and understand the meaning of a word, don't use it. if you ever get called to testify about what you charted, you will only have to defend what you wrote and why.

[vashtee, RN]

Yes, thank you. I KNOW what the words mean, which is why I am stuck; neither one fits the description.

Aww, never mind.