A nurse is teaching the guardian of a 1-month-old infant about infant safety. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the teaching?

A. Draw up regular insulin prior to NPH insulin. This is the correct technique when mixing short-acting (regular) and intermediate-acting (NPH) insulins in the same syringe. Drawing up regular insulin first prevents contamination of the clear insulin vial with the cloudy NPH, which could alter the action of the regular insulin.
B. Roll the syringe gently to ensure mixture of the insulins. Insulin should be mixed in the vial before drawing it into the syringe—not after. NPH insulin should be gently rolled between the hands to mix it, but the syringe itself should not be rolled after drawing both insulins, as this can introduce bubbles and affect dosing accuracy.
C. Inject into the vastus lateralis. The preferred sites for subcutaneous insulin administration are areas with sufficient subcutaneous tissue, such as the abdomen, upper outer arms, thighs, or buttocks. The vastus lateralis is more commonly used for intramuscular injections, such as vaccines.
D. Use a 15° angle for the injection. A 15° angle is appropriate for intradermal injections, not subcutaneous insulin injections. For insulin, the correct angle is typically 45° or 90°, depending on the client’s body habitus and needle length, to ensure proper subcutaneous delivery.

A. Assess the client's peripheral pulses every 15 min. Frequent assessment of peripheral pulses, especially in the affected extremity, is essential to monitor for signs of arterial occlusion, hematoma, or compromised circulation following a femoral catheterization.

B. Change the client's dressing 4 hr following the procedure. The initial pressure dressing should not be disturbed unless there are signs of bleeding or saturation. Routine dressing changes this soon can disrupt the clotting process at the insertion site.

C. Instruct the client to flex the right knee every 30 min. The client should keep the affected leg straight to prevent disrupting the insertion site. Flexing the knee can increase the risk of bleeding and compromise the integrity of the puncture site.

D. Elevate the head of the client's bed to 45°. Elevating the head of the bed too high can increase abdominal pressure on the femoral site, risking bleeding. The bed should be kept no higher than 30° to reduce stress on the insertion area.