A nurse is caring for a client who has heart failure and a prescription for digoxin 125 mcg PO daily. Available is digoxin PO 0.25 mg/tablet. How many tablets should the nurse administer per dose? (Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)

A. While heparin and warfarin both work as anticoagulants, IV heparin is not typically used to increase the effects of warfarin or decrease the length of hospital stay. Heparin is often administered initially to rapidly achieve therapeutic anticoagulation while waiting for warfarin to reach its full therapeutic effect, but it is not intended to directly enhance the action of warfarin.
B. This statement is accurate and provides a clear explanation to the client. Warfarin, an oral anticoagulant, takes several days to achieve a therapeutic level in the bloodstream and to exert its anticoagulant effect. During this time, IV heparin is continued to prevent clot formation until the therapeutic level of warfarin is reached.
C. While both heparin and warfarin work to prevent blood clots, they do not directly dissolve existing clots. Rather, they prevent the formation of new clots and the growth of existing ones. This explanation does not fully address the client's question regarding why both medications are necessary.
D. Discontinuing IV heparin prematurely without reaching a therapeutic level of warfarin could increase the risk of thrombus formation or embolization. Therefore, discontinuing IV heparin should be done under the guidance of the provider based on the client's INR levels and the target therapeutic range for warfarin.

A. Increase hematocrit: Fluid overload typically leads to hemodilution, resulting in a decrease in hematocrit rather than an increase. Therefore, an increase in hematocrit would not be expected in a client with fluid overload.
B. Increased temperature: Fluid overload is not typically associated with an increased body temperature. Instead, fever may indicate an infection or another underlying cause. Therefore, an increased temperature would not be a typical finding in a client with fluid overload.
C. Increased heart rate: Fluid overload can lead to an increased heart rate as the body attempts to maintain adequate cardiac output in the presence of excess fluid volume. An elevated heart rate is a compensatory mechanism to maintain tissue perfusion despite the increased workload on the heart.
D. Increased respiratory rate: Fluid overload can cause pulmonary congestion, leading to increased respiratory effort and a higher respiratory rate as the body attempts to compensate for decreased gas exchange efficiency. An increased respiratory rate helps to improve oxygenation and remove excess carbon dioxide from the body.
E. Increased blood pressure: Fluid overload often leads to increased blood pressure due to the increased volume of circulating blood, which can strain the cardiovascular system. Elevated blood pressure is a common manifestation of fluid overload and reflects the increased workload on the heart and blood vessels.