A nurse in a mental health clinic is caring for a client who has bipolar disorder and a prescription for an antipsychotic medication. The provider and nursing staff suspect the client is not adhering to his medication therapy. Which of the following interventions should the staff use to encourage the client's adherence? (Select all that apply.)

A. Hold the injection if seizure activity is present:

This is incorrect. Phenytoin is an antiepileptic medication used to prevent seizures. If a client with a seizure disorder is experiencing seizure activity, it is essential to administer phenytoin promptly to help control and prevent further seizures.

B. Administer the medication at 100 mg/min:

This is incorrect. Phenytoin should be administered at a rate no faster than 50 mg/min to reduce the risk of adverse effects such as hypotension, arrhythmias, and cardiovascular collapse. Rapid infusion can cause adverse reactions such as hypotension, bradycardia, and cardiac arrhythmias.

C. Dilute the medication with dextrose 5% in water:

This is incorrect. Phenytoin should not be diluted with dextrose-containing solutions, as it can cause precipitation and result in clogging of the IV line. It is typically administered undiluted or diluted with normal saline solution.

D. Administer a saline solution after injection:

This is the correct action. After administering phenytoin IV, it is recommended to flush the IV line with normal saline solution to ensure that the medication is fully delivered and to prevent any remaining medication from precipitating in the IV line, which could lead to occlusion.

A. A client received gentamicin intermittent IV bolus over 1 hr:

While gentamicin is typically administered as an intermittent IV bolus, the rate of administration over 1 hour is not necessarily inappropriate. However, the specific institutional protocol or medication administration guidelines should be followed. If the rate of administration deviates significantly from the standard protocol or manufacturer's recommendations, it may warrant further investigation but may not necessarily require an incident report.

B. A nurse used a 25-gauge 3-inch needle to administer a heparin injection:

Using a 25-gauge 3-inch needle for heparin injection is not standard practice and may not be the most appropriate needle size for subcutaneous administration. However, it does not necessarily indicate a need for an incident report unless it resulted in harm to the client. It may prompt further education or clarification regarding appropriate needle selection for subcutaneous injections.

C. A nurse injected Demerol IM into the vastus lateralis site of an adult:

While Demerol (meperidine) is typically administered intramuscularly, the choice of the vastus lateralis site for injection in an adult may not be the most common practice, but it is an acceptable site for IM injections. Unless there are specific contraindications or adverse outcomes related to the site selection, this finding may not require an incident report. However, it could prompt a review of injection site selection guidelines or further education.

D. A client received a crushed bupropion XL tablet mixed with applesauce:

This finding indicates a need for an incident report. Bupropion XL (extended-release) tablets should not be crushed or chewed, as this can lead to rapid release and absorption of the medication, potentially causing adverse effects or toxicity. Administering crushed extended-release tablets is a medication error that warrants an incident report to document the event, assess potential harm to the client, and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.