The nurse is assessing a patient after returning from surgery. After reviewing the patient's white blood cell differential, the nurse should notify the physician of

Explanation

• Neutrophils should account for 55–70% of all white blood cells. An elevation in neutrophils is indicative of a bacterial infection.

• The physician should be notified because the patient is at risk for infection and complications after surgery.

• Lymphocytes normal range: 20–40%

• Eosinophils normal range: 1–4%

• Basophils normal range: 0.5–1%

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