The nurse is preparing a 4-day-old infant with a serum bilirubin level of 19 mg/dL (325 µmol/L) for discharge from the hospital. When teaching the parents about home phototherapy, which instruction should the nurse include in the discharge teaching plan?

Total Bilirubin Reference Range: Newborn: 0.1 to 10.5 mg/dL (1.7 to 180 µmol/L)

Choice A: Assessing pupillary response to light hourly is not an intervention that the nurse should implement while administering dopamine, as this is not related to the effects or side effects of dopamine. This is a distractor choice.

Choice B: Initiating seizure precautions is not an intervention that the nurse should implement while administering dopamine, as this is not a common or expected complication of dopamine. This is another distractor choice.

Choice C: Monitoring serum potassium frequently is not an intervention that the nurse should implement while administering dopamine, as this is not affected by dopamine or hypotension. This is another distractor choice.

Choice D: Measuring urinary output every hour is an intervention that the nurse should implement while administering dopamine, as this can indicate the effectiveness of dopamine in improving renal perfusion and blood pressure. Therefore, this is the correct choice.

Choice A reason: Feeding the infant every 4 hours is not a specific instruction for home phototherapy, which is a treatment that uses blue light to break down excess bilirubin in the skin and blood. However, feeding the infant frequently is important to promote hydration and elimination of bilirubin through urine and stool.

Choice B reason: Performing diaper changes under the light is not a recommended instruction for home phototherapy, which is a treatment that uses blue light to break down excess bilirubin in the skin and blood. The nurse should instruct the parents to turn off the light and cover the infant's eyes with protective goggles or patches during diaper changes to prevent eye damage or irritation.

Choice D reason: Covering with a receiving blanket is not an appropriate instruction for home phototherapy, which is a treatment that uses blue light to break down excess bilirubin in the skin and blood. The nurse should instruct the parents to keep the infant unclothed except for a diaper and eye protection during phototherapy to maximize skin exposure to the light and increase its effectiveness.