The nurse is preparing to administer phenytoin to a patient who has a seizure disorder. The patient appears drowsy, and the nurse notes that the last random serum drug level was 18 mcg/mL. What action will the nurse take?
Administer the dose since the patient is not toxic
Contact the provider to discuss decreasing the phenytoin dose
Give the drug and monitor closely for adverse effects
Report drug toxicity to the providers
The Correct Answer is D
A. Administer the dose since the patient is not toxic.
This is not the appropriate action. With a drowsy patient and a high serum phenytoin level, there is a concern for toxicity. Administering the next dose could worsen the toxicity.
B. Contact the provider to discuss decreasing the phenytoin dose.
While adjusting the dose may be a consideration, the immediate action should be to withhold the next dose and report the elevated level to the healthcare provider. The provider can then determine the appropriate course of action.
C. Give the drug and monitor closely for adverse effects.
Giving the drug without further intervention is not appropriate when there are signs of potential toxicity, such as drowsiness. Monitoring alone is not sufficient in this case.
D. Report drug toxicity to the providers.
This is the correct choice. With a drowsy patient and a serum phenytoin level of 18 mcg/mL, which is considered high, reporting the drug toxicity to the healthcare provider is the immediate and appropriate action. The provider can then determine the next steps, such as adjusting the dose or ordering additional tests.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. "It will help your baby gain weight faster."
This statement is not accurate. Caffeine citrate is not given to help with weight gain; its primary use is to stimulate the respiratory center in preterm infants and improve breathing.
B. "Caffeine can help your baby breathe better."
This is the correct response. Caffeine citrate is commonly used in premature infants to stimulate the respiratory center, leading to improved breathing. It is a standard treatment to reduce the risk of apnea of prematurity.
C. "This isn't the same substance that is in coffee."
While caffeine citrate is derived from caffeine, this statement might be confusing and does not directly address the specific benefits of caffeine citrate for preterm infants.
D. "The baby's temperature will be warmer with caffeine."
This statement is not accurate. Caffeine citrate is not used to affect the baby's temperature; its primary effect is on the respiratory system.
Correct Answer is ["4"]
Explanation
To give the patient the prescribed dose of ziprasidone hydrochloride (Geodon), you need to calculate the number of tablets required.
One tablet contains 20 mg of the drug, so you need to divide the ordered dose by the tablet strength.
80 mg / 20 mg = 4 tablets.
Therefore, you would administer four tablets of ziprasidone hydrochloride (Geodon) to the patient.
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