A nurse is teaching a newly licensed nurse about preventing puncture injuries, Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?

A) Holds their hands below the elbows while rinsing off soap:
This is the correct practice when performing hand hygiene. To prevent contamination, hands should be kept below the elbows while rinsing to allow the water and soap to flow downward and away from the clean hands. This helps to avoid contaminating the hands with water running down the forearms.

B) Uses hot water to wash their hands:
The temperature of the water should be warm, not hot. Hot water can irritate the skin and cause dryness, which may lead to skin breaks, a potential route for pathogen entry. Therefore, warm water is recommended for hand hygiene, as it is effective and more comfortable for the skin.

C) Turns off the faucet with their hands:
The faucet should be turned off using a paper towel or another method that avoids re-contaminating the hands after washing. Using clean hands to turn off the faucet would defeat the purpose of hand hygiene, as the faucet handle is a common area for bacterial contamination.

D) Washes their hands for 10 seconds:
The proper duration for washing hands is at least 20 seconds, not 10. This ensures that enough time is taken to properly clean all surfaces of the hands, including the palms, backs of hands, between fingers, and under fingernails. Shortening this time can lead to inadequate cleansing, leaving pathogens on the hands.

A) Potassium level 3 mEq/L:
A potassium level of 3 mEq/L is below the normal range (which is typically 3.5-5.0 mEq/L) and represents hypokalemia. Potassium is crucial for normal muscle and nerve function, including cardiac function. Low potassium levels can lead to dangerous arrhythmias, muscle weakness, and cardiac arrest if not addressed promptly. This is the priority value because hypokalemia can be life-threatening and requires immediate attention from the healthcare provider to correct the imbalance.

B) BUN 9.5 mg/dl:
A BUN (blood urea nitrogen) level of 9.5 mg/dL is within the normal reference range for most adults (typically 7-20 mg/dL). While an abnormal BUN level could indicate kidney dysfunction or dehydration, this value is not immediately concerning and does not represent a critical finding that requires urgent attention.

C) Creatinine 0.4 mg/dl:
A creatinine level of 0.4 mg/dL is below the normal range (usually around 0.6-1.2 mg/dL), which might indicate low muscle mass or a transient decrease in kidney function. However, a low creatinine level is generally not as urgent or concerning as an elevated level, and it does not typically require immediate intervention

D) Sodium 135 mEq/L:
A sodium level of 135 mEq/L is slightly below the normal range (135-145 mEq/L), indicating mild hyponatremia. Although this can be concerning if the drop is acute or symptomatic (e.g., causing confusion, seizures, or lethargy), a mild decrease in sodium is not immediately life-threatening unless it worsens rapidly.