A nurse is providing teaching to a school-age child who has asthma about using an albuterol metered-dose inhaler. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?

Take the medication 15 min before playing sports.

• A. Clean the mouthpiece with warm water every 2 weeks. This is incorrect because the mouthpiece should be cleaned with warm water at least once a week, or more often if used frequently, to prevent bacterial growth and contamination.
• B. Wait 10 seconds between inhalations. This is incorrect because the recommended time interval between inhalations is 1 minute, not 10 seconds, to allow adequate absorption of the medication and prevent overdose or side effects.
• C. Take a quick inhalation when pressing the dispenser. This is incorrect because a quick inhalation can cause poor coordination of hand-mouth movement and result in less medication reaching the lungs. The nurse should instruct the child to take a slow, deep inhalation when pressing the dispenser, hold their breath for 10 seconds, and exhale slowly.
• D. Take the medication 15 min before playing sports. This is correct because albuterol is a short-acting bronchodilator that can prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm. The nurse should teach the child to take the medication before engaging in physical activity that can trigger asthma symptoms, such as sports, cold weather, or allergens.