A practical nurse is preparing to administer a scheduled dose of oral digoxin to an adult client. Prior to administration, the nurse auscultates the client's apical pulse and notes a rate of beats per minute. Which of the following actions should the practical nurse take?
- AAdminister the medication as prescribed and document the findings.
- BAssess the client's radial pulse for seconds to confirm the rate.
- Withhold the medication and report the heart rate to the registered nurse.Cevap
- DAdminister half of the prescribed dose to prevent further bradycardia.
Cevap
Withhold the medication and report the heart rate to the registered nurse.
Digoxin is a cardiac glycoside that slows the heart rate. The standard nursing safety protocol is to withhold the medication and notify the supervising registered nurse or healthcare provider if an adult client's apical pulse is less than beats per minute, as administering it could cause severe, symptomatic bradycardia or indicate medication toxicity.
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Anahtar Kavram
Pre-administration Assessment and Safe Medication Practices for Cardiac Glycosides