A post-operative patient is at risk for developing a wound infection. Which of the following nursing assessments is the highest priority to prevent this complication?

A. The correct actions to take include staying with the client for the first 15-30 minutes after starting the transfusion, not just the first 10 minutes, to monitor for any adverse reactions.
B. It is also crucial to use 0.9% sodium chloride solution, not 5% dextrose in water, to flush the transfusion tubing.
C. It is a standard practice to have two nurses check the blood unit label to verify the correct blood type and compatibility before administration.
D. The transfusion should not be rushed over 1 hour; instead, it should be administered over a period of 2-4 hours, depending on the patient's condition and the volume of PRBCs to be transfused.

A. 0.9% sodium chloride, also known as Normal Saline, is an isotonic solution. It has the same concentration of solutes as blood plasma, which means it does not change the cell's fluid volume but rather maintains it. It is not considered hypotonic.

B. 0.45% sodium chloride, commonly known as Half Normal Saline, is a hypotonic solution. It has a lower concentration of sodium chloride compared to the normal saline and is used to provide hydration and to help correct electrolyte imbalances by allowing water to move into the cells.
C. Dextrose 5% in Lactated Ringer's is not a hypotonic solution. It is actually a type of hypertonic solution. Initially, dextrose 5% is isotonic, but once the dextrose is metabolized, the solution becomes hypotonic due to the electrolyte content of Lactated Ringer’s. However, the classification is generally based on the solution before metabolism, and it is not commonly used as a hypotonic solution.
D. Lactated Ringer's solution is an isotonic solution. It contains electrolytes in concentrations similar to those found in the body's plasma, and it is used to restore fluids and electrolytes. It does not have a hypotonic effect on cells.