Which occurrence in a client's record would indicate a positive variance?

A positive variance in a healthcare context refers to an outcome that exceeds expected standards or improves upon the anticipated course of care. The option that indicates this is the discharge of a postoperative client one day earlier than expected. This suggests that the client has experienced a speedier recovery than anticipated, which is a favorable outcome reflecting effective care and possibly the client’s resilience or successful interventions.

Discharging a client earlier than planned often denotes efficient recovery, indicating that the interventions or treatments being utilized were effective. This can also result in decreased healthcare costs and improved efficiency within the healthcare system, making it a clear indicator of a positive variance in the client's care.

In contrast, while the other options exhibit positive health indicators, they do not necessarily denote a variance from the expected care plan. For example, signs of wound healing and clients performing tasks like colostomy irrigations and insulin injections reflect adherence to care plans but do not signify that their outcomes surpassed expectations in the same way that an earlier discharge does.