A nurse is teaching a client who is at 25 weeks of gestation and has pre-term labor about the purpose and side effects of magnesium sulfate therapy.

Which of the following statements by the client indicates an understanding of the teaching?

Magnesium sulfate is a drug that is used to prevent seizures associated with pre-eclampsia and to stop preterm labor.However, it can also cause adverse effects such as respiratory depression, which is a condition where the breathing rate becomes too slow and shallow.

Respiratory depression can be life-threatening for both the mother and the baby, so the nurse should monitor the client’s respiratory rate and oxygen saturation closely.

Choice A is wrong because magnesium sulfate can cause hypotension, not hypertension.Hypotension is low blood pressure, which can lead to dizziness, fainting, and shock.

Choice B is wrong because magnesium sulfate can cause hyporeflexia, not hyperreflexia.Hyporeflexia is a reduced or absent reflex response, which can indicate magnesium toxicity.

The nurse should check the client’s deep tendon reflexes regularly and stop the infusion if they are absent.

Choice D is wrong because magnesium sulfate can cause bradycardia, not tachycardia.

Bradycardia is a slow heart rate, which can reduce the blood flow to vital organs.

Creatinine clearance.

Indomethacin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that inhibits prostaglandin synthesis and suppresses uterine contractions.However, it can also causerenal failurein the fetus and the mother by reducing renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate.

Therefore, the nurse should monitor the creatinine clearance, which is a measure of renal function, while the client is receiving this medication.

Choice A is wrong because indomethacin does not affect platelet count or coagulation.

Choice C is wrong because indomethacin does not affect liver function tests.

Choice D is wrong because indomethacin does not affect blood glucose levels.

Normal ranges for creatinine clearance are 88-128 mL/min for women and 97-137 mL/min for men.Normal ranges for platelet count are 150,000-450,000 cells/mm3.

Normal ranges for liver function tests vary depending on the specific test, but some common ones are: alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 7-55 U/L, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 8-48 U/L, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 45-115 U/L, total bilirubin 0.1-1.2 mg/dL.