A nurse is teaching the guardian of a newborn about formula feeding. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?

A. Heart rate. The client’s heart rate decreased from 110/min on postpartum day 3 to 78/min on day 5, returning to normal resting range, which suggests improvement in systemic inflammation or infection, and better overall hemodynamic stability.
B. Temperature. The temperature has decreased from 38.6° C (101.5° F) to 37.1° C (98.9° F), which is within normal limits. This reduction is a key indicator of resolving infection or inflammation, especially considering the earlier febrile response.
C. Lochia. Lochia has improved from a moderate, foul-smelling, dark brown discharge to a small amount of brownish-red lochia with no odor, which suggests infection resolution and appropriate progression of postpartum uterine involution.
D. Hgb. The client’s hemoglobin dropped from 11.1 g/dL to 10 g/dL, which is below the normal postpartum range. This is likely due to ongoing recovery, recent surgery, and fluid shifts, but it does not indicate improvement and may require continued monitoring.
E. WBC count. The WBC count normalized from a significantly elevated 33,000/mm³ to 10,000/mm³, which is within the normal reference range. This is a strong sign that the infection or inflammatory response is resolving.
F. Fundal height. The fundus has decreased from 1 cm above the umbilicus on day 3 to 4 cm below on day 5, which is consistent with normal involution of the uterus during the postpartum period and is a positive sign of recovery.

A. Irrigate the wound using a 10-mL syringe. A 10-mL syringe does not provide adequate pressure for effective irrigation. Typically, a 30- to 60-mL syringe with an 18-gauge catheter is used to deliver appropriate pressure (between 4–15 psi) to clean wounds effectively.
B. Irrigate the wound with a low-pressure flow of solution. This is correct. A low-pressure irrigation system helps gently remove debris and bacteria without damaging healthy tissue. It also minimizes the risk of forcing contaminants deeper into the wound bed.
C. Cleanse the insertion site of the drain using a circular motion toward the center. The site should be cleansed from the center outward, not toward the center, to prevent dragging contaminants into the insertion site and reduce infection risk.
D. Cleanse the wound starting at the bottom and moving upward. Wound cleaning should occur from the least contaminated (top) to the most contaminated (bottom) area to avoid transferring microorganisms from dirtier areas to cleaner areas, thereby minimizing the risk of infection.