A nurse is caring for a client who has heart failure and reports difficulty with limiting sodium in their diet. Which of the following recommendations should the nurse provide?

Answer: A. Apply light pressure to the inner canthus just after instilling the eye drops.

Rationale:

A) Apply light pressure to the inner canthus just after instilling the eye drops.
Applying pressure to the inner canthus (the corner of the eye nearest the nose) helps occlude the nasolacrimal duct. This action reduces the systemic absorption of the medication by preventing it from draining into the nasal passages and subsequently into the systemic circulation, thus enhancing the local effect of the eye drops.

B) Wipe the eye from the inner to the outer canthus with a sterile saline-moistened cotton ball.
While this action may help remove excess medication or discharge, it does not minimize systemic absorption. Instead, wiping the eye could inadvertently spread the medication to other areas, increasing the chance of absorption rather than reducing it.

C) Administer the medication drops directly into the lower conjunctival sac of each eye.
While placing drops in the lower conjunctival sac is a standard practice for delivering ophthalmic medications, it does not directly influence systemic absorption. The main goal is to ensure adequate dosing in the eye, but systemic absorption can still occur if the drops drain into the nasolacrimal duct.

D) Wait 5 min after instillation before instilling the drops in the other eye.
Waiting between instillations is good practice to prevent dilution of the first dose and to allow for absorption. However, this action does not significantly impact systemic absorption. It focuses more on ensuring that the first dose is effective before administering a second dose.

The instruction that the nurse should include is "You can take a shower 1 day after your procedure." According to the Cleveland Clinic, the morning after the procedure, the client may take the dressing off the catheter insertion site. The easiest way to do this is when showering, get the tape and dressing wet and remove it.

Option a is incorrect because there is no information suggesting that a client must wait 3 days before resuming a regular diet after a cardiac catheterization.

Option c is incorrect because according to the Cleveland Clinic, clients should gradually increase their activities until they reach their normal activity level within one week after the procedure.

Option d is incorrect because there is no information suggesting that a client must wait 1 week before returning to school after cardiac catheterization.