A nurse is preparing to administer enoxaparin subcutaneously to a client using a prefilled syringe. The nurse should plan to use which of the following techniques when administering this medication?

Choice A rationale:

“You must rinse your mouth out after each dose.” This is incorrect. Rinsing the mouth after each dose is usually recommended for inhaled corticosteroids, not oral prednisone.

Choice B rationale:

“You should take this medication on an empty stomach.” This is incorrect. Prednisone should be taken with food to prevent stomach upset.

Choice C rationale:

“You should take a calcium supplement while taking this medication.” This is correct because long-term use of prednisone can lead to bone loss (osteoporosis) Taking a calcium supplement can help protect bone health.

Choice D rationale:

“You can expect some weight loss with this medication.” This is incorrect. Weight gain, not weight loss, is a common side effect of long-term prednisone use.

Choice A rationale:

A urine output of 600 mL in 8 hours is within the normal range. The average urine output for adults is about 1 to 2 liters per day.

Choice B rationale:

Clonidine is an antihypertensive medication. If the client’s blood pressure is already low (88/50 mm Hg), administering clonidine could further lower the blood pressure and cause hypotension.

Choice C rationale:

A heart rate of 110/min is slightly high, but it’s not a direct indication to withhold clonidine. Clonidine can actually help lower an elevated heart rate by reducing the levels of certain chemicals in your blood.

Choice D rationale:

A blood glucose level of 70 mg/dL is at the lower end of the normal range (70-100 mg/dL) However, clonidine does not directly affect blood glucose levels, so this would not be a reason to withhold the medication.