A charge nurse is teaching a group of nurses about the antagonist action of medications. The nurse should include in the teaching that which of the following antagonist medications is used for benzodiazepines?

A. Dilute the medication with sterile water before injecting: Phenytoin should not be diluted before administration because it may cause precipitation or crystallization of the drug, leading to potential adverse effects such as tissue irritation or embolism.

B. Administer the medication over 1 min: Phenytoin should be administered slowly over 1 to 2 minutes to reduce the risk of adverse effects such as hypotension or cardiac arrhythmias. Rapid infusion can lead to cardiovascular collapse.

C. Slow the injection if the medication crystallizes: If the medication crystallizes, the nurse should stop the injection immediately and flush the IV line with normal saline. However, preventing crystallization by administering the medication slowly over the recommended time is preferable.

D. Follow the IV injection with sterile water: Following the IV injection with sterile water is not a standard practice for administering phenytoin. Instead, the nurse should follow institutional guidelines for flushing the IV line after medication administration, typically with normal saline.

B. Shake the container vigorously:

This is the correct action. Phenytoin suspension tends to settle over time, leading to non-uniform distribution of the medication in the suspension. Therefore, shaking the container vigorously before administering each dose ensures proper dispersion of the medication and helps maintain consistent drug concentration, thus promoting therapeutic efficacy.

A. Check the child's blood pressure:

Checking the child's blood pressure is not directly related to the administration of phenytoin suspension. Monitoring blood pressure may be indicated in certain clinical situations or with certain medications, but it is not specifically required before administering phenytoin suspension.

C. Be sure the child has not eaten within the hour:

While it's important to consider food-drug interactions with certain medications, such as those affected by food intake, there are no specific dietary restrictions associated with phenytoin suspension administration. Therefore, checking whether the child has eaten within the hour is not a necessary step before administering phenytoin suspension.

D. Perform mouth care:

Performing mouth care is not directly related to the administration of phenytoin suspension. However, oral hygiene is important for overall health, especially in children who may have difficulty performing adequate mouth care independently. While mouth care should be encouraged, it is not specifically required before administering phenytoin suspension.