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Difficulty: EasyPharmacological and Parenteral Therapies

A nurse is preparing to administer an intravenous (IV) antibiotic piggyback to a client who is receiving a continuous primary IV infusion. Which of the following actions must the nurse prioritize before connecting the secondary infusion?

  1. Verify the compatibility of the antibiotic with the primary continuous IV fluid using a drug reference.Answer
  2. B
    Stop the primary IV fluid, infuse the antibiotic, and restart the primary fluid without checking for precipitation risks.
  3. C
    Instruct an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to monitor the IV site for swelling during the infusion.
  4. D
    Place the client in a supine position to ensure the medication distributes evenly throughout the body.

Answer

Verify the compatibility of the antibiotic with the primary continuous IV fluid using a drug reference.
Before administering any secondary medication through an existing IV line, the nurse must verify that the medication is compatible with the primary continuous fluid. If incompatible medications mix in the IV tubing, they can form a precipitate, leading to catheter occlusion or life-threatening emboli.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the clinical task.
The nurse is preparing to administer a secondary IV infusion (piggyback) into an existing continuous IV line.
Understanding the procedure helps identify the associated risks.
2
Recall safety principles for IV medication administration.
When two fluids or medications share the same IV tubing, they must be physically and chemically compatible.
Incompatibility can cause precipitation, which can occlude the catheter or cause an embolism in the client.
3
Determine the priority nursing action.
The nurse must consult a standard drug reference to ensure the antibiotic and the primary fluid are compatible before proceeding.
Client safety is the highest priority, and preventing adverse drug events requires proactive verification.

Key Concept

Intravenous (IV) Medication Compatibility
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Topics

Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies

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