The healthcare provider prescribed octreotide 150 mcg/day subcutaneously for a client with dumping syndrome. The medication is available in 0.2 mg/mL vials. How many mL should the practical nurse (PN) administer? (Enter numerical value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest hundredth).

Choice A rationale:

Crushing the medication and administering it in applesauce might alter its pharmacokinetics, rendering it ineffective or causing it to act too quickly. Sublingual tablets are designed to dissolve under the tongue for rapid absorption into the bloodstream. Crushing the tablet and mixing it with applesauce could change its intended mode of action.

Choice B rationale:

Placing the tablet under the client's tongue is the correct action for a sublingual tablet. Sublingual administration allows the medication to dissolve directly into the bloodstream through the sublingual mucosa, bypassing the digestive system and providing rapid onset of action.

Choice C rationale:

Obtaining a liquid form of the medication might be an option, but it may not always be available. Additionally, some medications are not available in liquid forms, and the liquid form might have a slower onset of action compared to the sublingual route.

Choice D rationale:

Placing the tablet inside the client's cheek is known as the buccal route of administration. While this route is also for oral absorption, sublingual administration is preferred for specific medications designed for rapid absorption.

Digoxin is a medication used to treat various heart conditions, such as abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure.It works by improving the strength and efficiency of the heart, or by controlling the rate and rhythm of the heartbeat.

One of the important things to monitor when giving digoxin to an infant is the pulse rate. Digoxin can lower the heart rate, which can be dangerous if it becomes too slow.Therefore, the pulse rate should be checked for one full minute before administering digoxin, and the medication should be held if the pulse rate is below 90 beats per minute (bpm) for an infant.

In this case, the infant’s heart rate is 120 bpm, which is within the normal range for a 2-month-old. Therefore, the correct action for the PN to take is to administer the medication and document the heart rate. This is optionbin the list of choices. Optionais incorrect because there is no need to hold the medication or recheck the heart rate in one hour. Optioncis incorrect because there is no need to alert the charge nurse unless there is a problem with the infant’s condition or the medication. Optiondis incorrect because holding the medication and documenting cardiac assessment is not appropriate for a normal heart rate.