A nurse is reinforcing teaching about home management with the partner of a client who has dementia. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching?

Rationale:

A. Ensure the client swallows each dose of medication: Clients with recent suicide attempts are at risk for hoarding medications to use in a future overdose. The nurse should closely monitor medication administration and confirm that each dose is swallowed to ensure safety.

B. Limit the personal toiletries in the client's room to cologne: Cologne often contains alcohol and could be misused for ingestion or fire-related self-harm. It should not be permitted. All personal items should be carefully screened to eliminate potential hazards.

C. Observe the client's behavior every 2 hr: Monitoring every 2 hours is insufficient for a client at high risk of suicide. More frequent or continuous observation (such as 1:1 supervision) is typically warranted during the acute phase to ensure immediate safety.

D. Keep the client's door shut when they are in the room: Keeping the door closed limits visibility and increases the risk of the client engaging in self-harm without detection. The door should remain open or observation should be maintained to ensure the client’s ongoing safety.

Rationale:

A. Mix the medication in juice prior to administration: Montelukast can be mixed with soft foods like applesauce, but mixing it in juice is not specifically recommended due to potential taste masking and dosing accuracy issues. Instructions should follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.

B. Administer the medication when the toddler has an acute asthma attack: Montelukast is a maintenance medication used to prevent asthma symptoms and is not effective for treating acute asthma attacks. A rescue inhaler like albuterol should be used during acute episodes.

C. Provide an additional dose of the medication prior to physical activity: Montelukast is not typically dosed in response to physical activity. While it can help prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm, it should be taken once daily in the evening, not additionally before exertion.

D. Administer the medication to the toddler each evening: Montelukast is prescribed as a once-daily maintenance therapy and is most effective when given in the evening. This helps maintain consistent blood levels and prevents nighttime asthma symptoms.