A charge nurse in a newborn nursery is providing information to a group of nurses about risk factors for hypoglycemia. Which of the following risk factors should the charge nurse include? (Select all that apply.)

Rationale for Correct Choices

• Endometritis: This uterine infection is common after cesarean delivery, especially with prolonged rupture of membranes. The client’s uterine tenderness, elevated fundus, boggy consistency, and foul-smelling lochia are hallmark signs of endometritis, making it the most likely diagnosis.
• Uterus and lochia: The presence of a tender uterus that is elevated above the umbilicus and only firms with massage, combined with dark, malodorous lochia, strongly suggests infection of the uterine lining. These findings point specifically to endometritis rather than general postpartum changes.

Rationale for Incorrect Choices

• Mastitis: Although the client reports heavy, warm breasts with nipple discomfort, there is no breast erythema, localized swelling, or high-grade fever typical of mastitis. These symptoms are likely due to engorgement related to lactation rather than infection.
• Pneumonia: The client’s respiratory assessment shows clear lungs with only slight basal changes common postoperatively. There are no signs of cough, sputum production, hypoxia, or respiratory distress, which makes pneumonia an unlikely cause of her symptoms.
• Fever: A temperature of 38.2°C is above normal, but mild postpartum fever can have various causes, including engorgement, dehydration, or early infection. Fever alone is not specific enough to confirm a diagnosis without targeted findings.
• WBC count: Although an elevated WBC of 33,000/mm³ raises concern, postpartum leukocytosis can be physiologic or related to many infections. It is not diagnostic of endometritis without more specific correlating signs like uterine tenderness and abnormal lochia.

Rationale:

A. Assess the client's lung sounds prior to the infusion: Pre-transfusion assessment of lung sounds is essential to detect any baseline abnormalities and to monitor for fluid overload or transfusion-related lung complications such as transfusion-associated circulatory overload.

B. Infuse the blood over 4 hr: Older adults are at increased risk for fluid overload, so transfusing packed RBCs slowly over 4 hours is appropriate and safer, as long as the blood is completely administered within the maximum 4-hour window from removal from refrigeration.

C. Verify with another nurse that the unit of blood is compatible with the client's blood type: A dual verification process is mandatory to ensure safe administration. The nurse must check the client’s ID, blood type, unit number, and expiration date with another licensed professional before initiating the transfusion.

D. Prime the infusion tubing with 0.45% sodium chloride: Only 0.9% sodium chloride (normal saline) should be used to prime and flush blood transfusion tubing. Hypotonic solutions like 0.45% sodium chloride can cause hemolysis and should never be used with blood products.

E. Don sterile gloves to prepare the blood administration setup: Sterile gloves are not necessary for setting up a blood transfusion. Clean gloves are sufficient for handling equipment and initiating IV therapy, following standard precautions.