A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving treatment for chronic alcohol use disorder.
Which of the following medications should the nurse plan to administer to assist the client in maintaining abstinence by aversion therapy?

Choice A rationale:

AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase) is a liver enzyme and its levels are used to assess liver function, not the effectiveness of epoetin alfa.

Choice B rationale:

Troponin is a cardiac marker used to diagnose heart attacks. It has no relation with the effectiveness of epoetin alfa.

Choice C rationale:

T4 (Thyroxine) is a thyroid hormone. Its levels indicate thyroid function, not the effectiveness of epoetin alfa.

Choice D rationale:

Hgb (Hemoglobin) levels are used to assess the effectiveness of epoetin alfa. Epoetin alfa is a medication that stimulates the production of red blood cells, thereby increasing hemoglobin levels in the blood. Normal hemoglobin levels are 13.5 to 17.5 g/dL in men and 12.0 to 15.5 g/dL in women.

Choice A rationale:

Donepezil is a medication used to treat symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and does not typically cause urinary retention.

Choice B rationale:

Scopolamine, an anticholinergic drug, can cause urinary retention. Anticholinergic drugs block the action of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps to contract the bladder muscles and relax the urinary sphincters to allow urination.

Choice C rationale:

Metoprolol is a beta-blocker used to treat high blood pressure and heart problems. It does not typically cause urinary retention.

Choice D rationale:

Acetaminophen is a common over-the-counter pain reliever and does not typically cause urinary retention.