A nurse is preparing to perform a dressing change on a preschooler. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to prepare the child for the procedure?

Choice A reason: Using gauze to cover an infant’s IV site obscures visualization, delaying detection of infiltration or infection. Transparent dressings are preferred, as infants’ small veins are prone to complications. Gauze increases risk by hiding signs like swelling, critical for early intervention in pediatric IV management.
Choice B reason: Monitoring an IV site every 8 hours is inadequate for infants, who need hourly checks due to small vein fragility and high infiltration risk. Frequent assessment detects complications like phlebitis or extravasation early, ensuring vascular integrity and preventing tissue damage in pediatric patients.
Choice C reason: Inserting an IV in the foot is less preferred, as scalp or hand veins are more accessible and stable in infants. Foot IVs risk dislodgement from movement and may impair circulation, increasing complications like tissue damage, making this a suboptimal choice for IV placement.
Choice D reason: A 24-gauge catheter is ideal for infants, as their small veins require smaller needles to minimize trauma and infiltration. This size ensures adequate fluid or medication delivery while reducing vascular damage, aligning with pediatric IV guidelines for safe and effective venous access.

Choice A reason: Penicillin, an antibiotic, has no known interactions with saw palmetto, a herbal supplement used for BPH. Saw palmetto affects prostate function, not antibiotic metabolism, so this combination is safe, making it an incorrect choice for an adverse interaction.
Choice B reason: Ipratropium, used for respiratory conditions, does not interact with saw palmetto, which targets prostate health. Their mechanisms are unrelated, and no significant drug-herb interaction exists, making this medication an incorrect choice for an adverse interaction with saw palmetto.
Choice C reason: Zolpidem, a sedative, has no documented interactions with saw palmetto. Saw palmetto’s effects on prostate tissue do not influence zolpidem’s central nervous system actions, so this combination is safe, making it incorrect for an adverse interaction.
Choice D reason: Finasteride, used for BPH, may interact with saw palmetto, as both reduce prostate size via similar mechanisms (inhibiting 5-alpha-reductase). Combined use can amplify effects or cause additive side effects, making this a potential adverse interaction, thus the correct choice.