The nurse is caring for a home health patient. After completing an assessment, the nurse has diagnosed the patient as being at risk for infection. Which of the following orders would the nurse question?

Question

a. Urinary catheter to bedside drainage bag. May change to leg bag during the day.
b. May reuse nebulizer equipment. Clean with mild soap and warm water, and allow to dry.
c. Prepare enough enteral feedings for 12 hours. Rinse feeding bag and tubing daily.
d. Call for temperature greater than 100.5, heart rate greater than 100, and respiratory rate greater than 24.

Answer 1

C
For patients who receive tube feedings in the home, to decrease the risk of bacterial contamination it is important to prepare enough commercially prepared formula for only 8 hours and home-prepared formula for 4 hours. Sometimes the urinary drainage system is disrupted in the home to place the patient on a leg bag system when up and about. Nebulizer equipment is cleaned and reused in the home health environment. Notifying the physician about potential signs and symptoms of infection would be common practice in the home health environment.