A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a postpartum client about bathing her newborn.

Which of the following statements should the nurse include?

Keeping a baby rear-facing in the car seat until they reach the age of 2 years old or until they reach the maximum height and weight limits recommended by the car seat manufacturer is a crucial safety guideline. Rear-facing car seats provide better support for a baby's head, neck, and spine in the event of a crash, reducing the risk of severe injuries.

"I should place my baby in the car seat at a 90-degree angle." The correct positioning for a rear-facing car seat is typically between a 30 to 45-degree angle. This angle helps ensure the baby's airway remains open and prevents their head from flopping forward.

"I should position the car seat's retainer clip at the level of my baby's belly button." The retainer clip of the car seat should be positioned at armpit level, not at the level of the baby's belly button. The retainer clip is designed to secure the harness straps and should be placed across the chest, resting on the bony part of the shoulders.

"I should enable the airbag when my baby is in the front seat of the car." It is not safe to have a rear-facing car seat with a baby in the front seat of a vehicle with an active airbag. Airbags can pose a significant risk to infants due to the force with which they deploy. It is recommended to place a rear-facing car seat in the back seat of the vehicle and disable the airbag in the front passenger seat if the baby needs to ride in the front.

It is important for parents to receive proper education on car seat safety and follow the guidelines set forth by car seat manufacturers, national recommendations, and local laws and regulations.

The correct answer is Choice C.

Choice A rationale:

• While maintaining a distance of 3 feet can reduce the risk of direct contact transmission, it is not the most effective measure for contact isolation precautions.
• Contact isolation aims to prevent the spread of pathogens that can be transmitted through direct or indirect contact with the infected person or contaminated objects.
• A distance of 3 feet may not be sufficient to prevent transmission via droplets or fomites (inanimate objects that can harbor infectious agents).

Choice B rationale:

• Sterile gloves are not routinely required for contact isolation precautions.
• They are primarily used for sterile procedures or when there is a risk of exposure to blood or body fluids.
• For contact isolation, standard clean gloves are usually sufficient to protect against transmission via direct contact.

Choice C rationale:

• Leaving equipment that is used routinely in the client's room is a crucial part of contact isolation precautions.
• This practice prevents the spread of infection by minimizing the movement of potentially contaminated items outside of the isolation room.
• Equipment like stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, and thermometers should be dedicated to the client's use and not shared with other patients.

Choice D rationale:

• Negative-pressure airflow rooms are used for airborne isolation precautions, which are designed to prevent the spread of pathogens that can be transmitted through the air.
• Contact isolation does not specifically require a negative-pressure room, as the primary mode of transmission is through direct or indirect contact, not airborne particles.