A mother brings her 4-month-old son to the clinic with a quarter taped over his umbilicus, and tells the nurse the quarter is supposed to fix her child's hernia. Which explanation should the nurse provide?

Choice A: Administering a half dose now is not a safe instruction for the nurse to provide, as this can result in overdosing or underdosing the infant, depending on how much of the medicine was absorbed or expelled. This is a contraindicated choice.

Choice B: Giving another dose is not a prudent instruction for the nurse to provide, as this can cause digoxin toxicity, which can be life-threatening for the infant. This is another contraindicated choice.

Choice C: Mixing the next dose with food is not a relevant instruction for the nurse to provide, as this does not address the current situation and can affect the absorption and effectiveness of digoxin. This is a distractor choice.

Choice D: Withholding this dose is a sensible instruction for the nurse to provide, as this can prevent adverse effects and allow the infant's serum digoxin level to be checked before giving another dose. Therefore, this is the correct choice.

Choice A reason: This is a correct answer because continuing to monitor the client for signs of an infection is important to detect any recurrence or complication of MRSA infection. MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to many antibiotics and can cause serious skin, soft tissue, bone, joint, or bloodstream infections. The nurse should assess the client's vital signs, wound appearance, pain level, and laboratory results.

Choice B reason: This is not a correct answer because calling the healthcare provider for a prescription for linezolid is not necessary unless the client has an active MRSA infection that requires treatment. Linezolid is an antibiotic that can be used to treat MRSA infections, but it has potential side effects and interactions that need to be considered. The nurse should not prescribe or administer antibiotics without a valid order.

Choice C reason: This is a correct answer because collecting multiple sets of blood cultures for MRSA screening is important to identify any asymptomatic bacteremia or sepsis that could result from MRSA infection. MRSA can enter the bloodstream through wounds, catheters, or surgical sites and cause life-threatening complications such as endocarditis, osteomyelitis, or pneumonia. The nurse should obtain blood samples from different sites and times and send them to the laboratory for analysis.

Choice D reason: This is a correct answer because placing the client on contact transmission precautions is important to prevent the spread of MRSA to other clients, staff, or visitors. Contact transmission precautions include wearing gloves and gowns when entering the client's room, using dedicated or disposable equipment, and performing hand hygiene before and after contact with the client or their environment.

Choice E reason: This is not a correct answer because obtaining a sputum specimen for culture and sensitivity is not relevant to the client's history of MRSA wound infection. Sputum culture and sensitivity is a test that can be used to diagnose respiratory infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses. The nurse should only obtain a sputum specimen if the client has signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as cough, fever, chest pain, or dyspnea.