A priority intervention the home-care nurse should teach parents ...

[washai]

A priority intervention the home-care nurse should teach parents to do to maintain infection control is:
 
  a. sterilize equipment.
  b. reuse equipment to decrease costs.
  c. use proper hand hygiene.
  d. use gloves when repositioning the child.

Question 2

A child dependent on medical technology is preparing to be discharged from the hospital to home. Which predischarge assessments should the nurse ensure? (Select all that apply.)
 
  a. Emergency care and transport plan
  b. Reliance on private duty nurses to teach the family infection control practices
  c. Financial arrangements
  d. Individualized home plan to be completed within the first month of the child's discharge

[ricroger]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Hand hygiene is the cornerstone of infection control, and the nurse should teach parents the practice and help identify appropriate areas in the home setting for hand hygiene to be carried out with ease. Equipment can be cleaned in the home setting, but there is no means to sterilize equipment and because the child is exposed to fewer organisms in the home setting use of sterile equipment on a daily basis is not warranted. Some medical equipment may be washed with an appropriate disinfectant and reused to decrease cost of care; however, appropriate infection control practices should not be compromised to save money. It is not necessary to wear gloves when repositioning the child. Gloves would be worn only when protective personal equipment (PPE) is required.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A, C
The predischarge plan for a child dependent on medical technology going home should include emergency care and transport plan and financial arrangements. The infection control practices and individualized home plan should be completed before discharge, not after the child goes home.