A nurse is assessing a client who has a pressure injury. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect as an indication the wound is healing?

Assessment of a pressure injury focuses on identifying stages of wound healing, infection, and tissue viability. Pressure injury heals through a structured process involving inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. One of the most important indicators of healing is the presence of healthy granulation tissue, which reflects new capillary and connective tissue formation. Nursing assessment of wound characteristics helps guide ongoing care and evaluate treatment effectiveness. Rationale: A. Light yellow exudate may represent serous drainage or could indicate early infection depending on quantity, odor, and surrounding tissue condition. While minimal serous exudate can be part of normal healing, persistent or increasing yellow drainage is not a definitive sign of wound improvement. The nurse must differentiate between normal healing fluid and infectious exudate. B. Wound tissue firm to palpation is not typically associated with healing in pressure injuries. Healthy healing tissue is usually moist, red, and soft rather than firm or indurated. Firmness may instead suggest fibrosis, scarring, or underlying complications rather than active tissue regeneration. C. Dry brown eschar indicates necrotic tissue rather than healing. Eschar is avascular and acts as a barrier to new tissue formation, often requiring debridement depending on wound location and condition. Its presence generally signifies impaired healing rather than improvement. D. Dark red granulation tissue is an expected and positive sign of healing because it reflects the formation of new capillaries, collagen, and connective tissue. This tissue is moist, vascular, and indicates active wound repair. Its presence suggests that the pressure injury is progressing through the proliferative phase of healing.