Newborn Nursing Care Q 5
A nursing instructor asks a nursing student to describe the procedure for administering erythromycin ointment into the eyes of a neonate. The instructor determines that the student needs to research this procedure further if the student states:
A. “I will cleanse the neonate’s eyes before instilling ointment.”
B. “I will flush the eyes after instilling the ointment.”
C. “I will instill the eye ointment into each of the neonate’s conjunctival sacs within one hour after birth.”
D. “Administration of the eye ointment may be delayed until an hour or so after birth so that eye contact and parent-infant attachment and bonding can occur.”
Correct Answer: B. “I will flush the eyes after instilling the ointment.”
Option B: Eye prophylaxis protects the neonate against Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. The eyes are not flushed after instillation of the medication because the flush will wash away the administered medication.