Which practice is appropriate to decrease cardiac demands on an infant with CHF?

Organizing nursing activities efficiently is the appropriate practice to decrease cardiac demands on an infant with congestive heart failure (CHF). Infants with CHF often have limited cardiac reserves and increased work of breathing, making it crucial to minimize additional stressors. By organizing nursing activities, healthcare providers can cluster care tasks to allow for longer rest periods in between. This reduces the frequency of interruptions, which can be stressful for the infant and lead to increased heart rate and oxygen demand.

For instance, if a nurse schedules medication administration, assessments, and other necessary tasks all at once, the infant can then have uninterrupted time to rest and recover. This careful planning helps to ensure that the infant expends less energy and has better overall management of their condition.

The other practices do not contribute effectively to reducing cardiac demands. Keeping the child uncovered can lead to heat loss and increased energy expenditure as the body works to maintain its temperature. Feeding the infant when crying might lead to distressed feeding situations where the infant could struggle or become overly tired, resulting in increased cardiac workload. Frequently changing bed linens may be important for hygiene but does not have a direct impact on managing the infant's cardiac demands and may lead to unnecessary handling that could cause stress. Therefore, organizing nursing activities efficiently stands out as