A nurse is caring for a client who has been taking warfarin and has an international normalized ratio (INR) time of 5. Which of the following medications should the nurse anticipate the provider to prescribe?

(A) Swallow the tablet whole with an 8 oz glass of water.
Sublingual nitroglycerin tablets should not be swallowed. They need to be placed under the tongue where they can dissolve and be absorbed quickly to provide rapid relief from angina.

(B) Store the medication in a pill box at the bedside.
Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets should be stored in their original container and kept tightly closed to protect them from light and moisture. Storing them in a pill box at the bedside could lead to degradation of the medication.

(C) Take the medication at the first indication of chest pain.
This is the correct instruction. Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets should be taken at the first sign of chest pain to provide prompt relief. The rapid onset of action helps to alleviate angina symptoms quickly.

(D) Remove the nitroglycerine patch before taking the sublingual tablet.
It is not necessary to remove the nitroglycerin patch before taking a sublingual tablet. The two forms of nitroglycerin can be used together, as the patch provides a continuous dose while the sublingual tablet offers rapid relief of acute symptoms.

(A) "I’ll breathe deeply and cough every 4 hours."
Deep breathing and coughing exercises should be done more frequently, typically every 1-2 hours while awake, to help prevent respiratory complications such as atelectasis and pneumonia.

(B) "I’ll splint my incision with a pillow to cough."
This statement indicates an understanding of the instructions. Splinting the incision with a pillow helps support the surgical site, reduces pain, and makes coughing more effective and less uncomfortable. This technique is important for clients to use to help clear secretions from the lungs postoperatively.

(C) "I’ll start to use the incentive spirometer when I can get out of bed."
The use of an incentive spirometer should begin as soon as possible, usually while the client is still in bed, to encourage deep breathing and prevent postoperative respiratory complications. It should not be delayed until the client can get out of bed.

(D) "I’ll lie flat in bed to cough and deep breathe."
Lying flat is not the optimal position for deep breathing and coughing exercises, as it can make it more difficult to fully expand the lungs. The client should be positioned with the head of the bed elevated or sitting up to facilitate better lung expansion and more effective coughing.