Nokea
A patient is taking digoxin and a loop diuretic daily. When the nurse enters the room with the morning medications, the patient states, -I am seeing a funny yellow color around the lights. What is the nurse's next action?
- A. Assess the patient for symptoms of digoxin toxicity.
- B. Withhold the next dose of the diuretic.
- C. Administer the digoxin and diuretic together as ordered.
- D. Document this finding, and reassess in 1 hour.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Seeing colors around lights is one potential indication of developing digoxin toxicity. If a patient indicates these visual problems, the nurse needs to assess for other signs and symptoms of digoxin toxicity including bradycardia, headache, dizziness, confusion, nausea, and blurred vision, and then notify the prescriber. Administering the drug or withholding the diuretic are incorrect options.
You may also like to solve these questions
While assessing a patient who is receiving intravenous digitalis, the nurse recognizes that the drug has a negative chronotropic effect. How would this drug effect be evident in the patient?
- A. Decreased blood pressure
- B. Decreased heart rate
- C. Decreased conduction
- D. Decreased ectopic beats
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A negative chronotropic effect results in a decreased heart rate, which is one effect of cardiac glycosides. The other options are incorrect.
Which drug classes are considered first-line treatment for heart failure?
- A. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- B. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
- C. Digoxin, a cardiac glycoside
- D. Beta blockers
- E. Nesiritide, the B-type natriuretic peptide
Correct Answer: A,B,D
Rationale: ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and certain beta blockers are now considered the first-line treatments for heart failure. Digoxin is used when the first-line treatments are not successful; nesiritide is considered a last-resort treatment.
When administering digoxin immune Fab to a patient with severe digoxin toxicity, the nurse knows that each vial can bind with how much digoxin?
- A. 0.5 mg
- B. 1 mg
- C. 1.5 mg
- D. 2 mg
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Each vial of digoxin immune Fab (Digifab) can bind approximately 0.5 mg of digoxin, helping to neutralize the drug in cases of severe toxicity.
A patient in the intensive care unit is on a dobutamine infusion and is to receive furosemide 40 mg IV now. What is the nurse's best action to administer the furosemide?
- A. Infuse the drug into the same intravenous line as the milrinone.
- B. Stop the milrinone, flush the line, and then administer the furosemide.
- C. Administer the furosemide in a separate intravenous line.
- D. Notify the prescriber that the furosemide cannot be given at this time.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Furosemide must not be injected into an intravenous line with milrinone because it will precipitate immediately. The infusion must not be stopped because of the patient's condition. A separate line will be needed. The other options are incorrect.
The nurse is reviewing discharge teaching for a patient who will be taking digoxin therapy. The nurse will teach the patient to avoid which foods when taking the digoxin?
- A. Leafy green vegetables
- B. Dairy products
- C. Grapefruit juice
- D. Bran muffins
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Bran, in large amounts, may decrease the absorption of oral digitalis drugs. The other foods do not affect digoxin levels.