A nurse is providing a handoff report to the oncoming shift nurse. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to ensure continuity of client care?

Rationale

A. Replace the NPWT dressing every 12 hours: NPWT dressings are typically changed every 48–72 hours, or sooner if the dressing is saturated or malfunctioning. Changing the dressing every 12 hours is excessive and can disrupt wound healing and increase infection risk.

B. Allow the wound to be open to air at least once per shift: Negative-pressure wound therapy requires a sealed environment to maintain suction and promote healing. Exposing the wound to air would compromise negative pressure, delay healing, and increase infection risk.

C. Shave the skin around the wound prior to applying the wound therapy device: Shaving can cause microabrasions and increase the risk of infection. Hair should be gently trimmed if necessary, but shaving is not recommended prior to applying NPWT dressings.

D. If client reports pain, decrease the suction to 75 mm Hg: Pain during NPWT can occur if suction pressure is too high. Reducing suction to 75 mm Hg helps minimize discomfort while maintaining therapeutic negative pressure. Adjusting suction appropriately promotes client comfort and adherence to therapy.

Rationale

A. Access the online drug formulary for an unfamiliar medication: Consulting a reliable drug reference ensures the nurse understands the medication’s indications, dosage, contraindications, side effects, and interactions. This step is essential when administering a medication for the first time to promote safe and informed practice.

B. Use one patient identifier prior to medication administration: Safe medication administration requires two patient identifiers (e.g., name and date of birth) to verify the correct client. Using only one identifier increases the risk of medication errors and does not meet standard safety protocols.

C. Read the medication label twice prior to administration: Best practice is to read the medication label three times, when removing it from storage, before preparing it, and before administering it to ensure accuracy. Reading only twice may allow for errors in drug selection or dosage.

D. Ask the client if they have ever taken a similar medication: While obtaining medication history from the client is useful, it does not replace verification of proper dosage, route, or interactions. Client recollection may be incomplete or inaccurate, so relying on a reference is safer for first-time administration.