The nurse is planning to teach parents about preventing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). What significant information would the nurse include?

Choice A rationale

Oxygen supports combustion, and smoking introduces a significant ignition source. Prohibiting smoking within the residence when oxygen is in use minimizes the risk of fire or explosion. The high concentration of oxygen creates an environment where even small sparks can rapidly escalate into a dangerous conflagration.

Choice B rationale

Frayed or damaged electrical cords can create sparks or generate heat, both of which are ignition sources in an oxygen-enriched environment. Ensuring electrical cords are in good working order prevents electrical shorts and reduces the risk of fire, safeguarding the client and the home from oxygen-related hazards.

Choice C rationale

Flammable liquids, such as gasoline, paints, or cleaning solvents, have low flash points and can easily ignite in the presence of an oxygen concentrator or oxygen cylinder. Storing them in a separate, well-ventilated area like a garage, away from the oxygen source, significantly reduces the risk of accidental combustion.

Choice D rationale

While fluorescent light bulbs generate less heat than incandescent bulbs, the primary concern with oxygen safety is open flames, sparks, and heat-generating appliances, not typical household lighting. This choice is less critical for oxygen safety than other factors, as fluorescent bulbs themselves do not pose a direct combustion risk.

Choice E rationale

While pets can be a tripping hazard or affect air quality, they generally do not pose a direct safety risk concerning oxygen use itself. The presence of pets in the home does not inherently increase the flammability risk associated with oxygen therapy, unlike combustible materials or ignition sources.

Choice F rationale

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are flammable due to their alcohol content. In an oxygen-enriched environment, even small amounts of vaporized alcohol can ignite. Avoiding their presence or using non-alcohol-based alternatives minimizes the risk of accidental fire when oxygen is being used in the vicinity.

Choice A rationale

Antibiotics are crucial for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) treatment, but "before admission" is not a standard quality metric for ED care. The emphasis is on timely administration *after* diagnosis within the ED. Scientific guidelines recommend initiating empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics promptly upon diagnosis of CAP to minimize bacterial proliferation and reduce inflammatory responses, ideally within 4-6 hours of presentation, to improve clinical outcomes and reduce mortality.

Choice B rationale

Blood cultures are important for identifying causative organisms and guiding antibiotic selection, but obtaining them within 20 minutes is an overly stringent and potentially unrealistic goal. The scientific purpose of blood cultures is to detect bacteremia, which can lead to sepsis, by culturing microorganisms from the bloodstream. While timely collection is important to guide targeted therapy, the critical metric focuses on administering the first dose of antibiotics *after* culture collection, not solely on the speed of collection.

Choice C rationale

A chest x-ray within 30 minutes is a reasonable and often achievable goal to confirm the diagnosis of pneumonia quickly. Rapid diagnostic imaging allows for prompt visualization of pulmonary infiltrates or consolidation, confirming the presence and extent of lung involvement. This timely diagnosis is critical for initiating appropriate treatment without undue delay, as early intervention in pneumonia significantly impacts client morbidity and mortality by curtailing bacterial growth and preventing widespread inflammation.

Choice D rationale

While pulse oximetry is a standard and essential initial assessment for all clients to evaluate oxygen saturation, it is not an outcome demonstrating met goals for pneumonia treatment. Pulse oximetry measures the percentage of hemoglobin saturated with oxygen, reflecting the adequacy of oxygenation. Although vital for initial triage and ongoing monitoring to guide oxygen therapy, it is a continuous assessment tool rather than a definitive marker of successful treatment or resolution of the underlying disease process.