A nurse is administering medication to a client who has dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing. Which of the following strategies should the nurse use to prevent medication errors and ensure safety? (Select all that apply.)

B) This is correct as mixing medications with food or liquids that are easy to swallow can help to prevent choking and aspiration and improve compliance. However, some medications may interact with certain foods or liquids, so the nurse should check with the pharmacist before mixing them.

C) This is correct as giving one medication at a time and allowing time for swallowing can help to prevent choking and aspiration and ensure that each medication is taken correctly. The nurse should also monitor the client for signs of difficulty swallowing, such as coughing, gagging, drooling, or regurgitation.

E) This is correct as assessing the client's mouth for pocketing of medications can help to prevent medication errors and ensure that each medication is taken correctly. Pocketing of medications occurs when the client holds medications in their cheeks or under their tongue instead of swallowing them. This can lead to ineffective therapy, toxicity, or adverse effects.

A) This is incorrect as crushing or dissolving tablets and capsules before giving them to the client can alter their effectiveness, absorption, or bioavailability and cause medication errors or adverse effects. Some tablets and capsules are designed to be swallowed whole, such as enteric-coated, extended-release, or sublingual formulations. The nurse should check with the pharmacist before crushing or dissolving any tablets or capsules.

D) This is incorrect as encouraging the client to drink water before and after taking medications can help to prevent choking and aspiration and ensure adequate hydration, but it may not be appropriate for some clients who have dysphagia or who are on fluid restrictions. The nurse should assess the client's ability to drink water safely and follow their individualized plan of care.

Checking the client's blood pressure and oxygen saturation is an appropriate action for the nurse to take when the client's apical pulse is below 60 beats per minute, which is the lower limit of normal. This is because a low pulse rate can indicate bradycardia, which can affect the client's hemodynamic status and tissue perfusion.

A and B are incorrect. Administering the medication as prescribed or holding the medication and notifying the provider are not appropriate actions for the nurse to take without further assessment of the client's condition. Digoxin can lower the heart rate, but it can also improve cardiac output and contractility in clients with heart failure. Therefore, the nurse should not withhold the medication based on one vital sign measurement alone.

D is incorrect. Repeating the apical pulse measurement after 5 minutes is not an appropriate action for the nurse to take when the client's apical pulse is below 60 beats per minute, as it delays further assessment and intervention.