A nurse is preparing to administer eye drops to a child. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A. Wipe from the outer to the inner canthus after administering the drops: Eye care should follow a gentle inner-to-outer canthus motion when cleaning before administration, not after. Wiping from outer to inner after administration could push contaminants into the tear duct and is not recommended. B. Position the child side-lying on the bed before administering the drops: The recommended position is usually sitting upright with the head tilted back or supine with the head slightly tilted. Side-lying is not necessary and may make administration more difficult. C. Apply pressure to the lacrimal punctum after administering the drops: Applying gentle pressure to the inner canthus (over the lacrimal punctum) prevents systemic absorption of the medication through the nasolacrimal duct and increases local ocular effect. This is especially important in children. D. Flush the eye with normal saline solution before administering the drops: Flushing the eye is only indicated if there is debris or chemical exposure. Routine administration of eye drops does not require pre-flushing.