A nurse is caring for a 3 day old infant with hyperbilirubinemia who is receiving phototherapy. A nursing action that would put the patient at risk would be to:

Explanation

•Swaddling the infant is inappropriate. The infant receiving phototherapy must be exposed to the light. Eyes and genitalia should be covered.

•An infant’s liver struggles to process bilirubin because the mother’s circulation does this for the fetus. Upon birth, exposure to light triggers the liver to assume this function. Additional light speeds up the conversion potential of the liver.

•An infant receiving phototherapy should be removed from under the lights for feeding so that she/he continues to have interaction with the mother.

•Remove the eye patches during the time the infant is with the mother to give the infant a period of visual stimulation.

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