A nurse is caring for a client who is taking digoxin for heart failure and develops indications of severe digoxin toxicity. Which of the following medications should the nurse prepare to administer?

A) Discard the medication:
The safest action is to discard the medication. Medications past their expiration date may not be effective and could potentially be unsafe. Using expired medications can pose risks, and discarding them ensures that the client is not exposed to potentially compromised treatments.

B) Give the medication:
Administering expired medication is not appropriate as it could be ineffective or harmful. The expiration date indicates that the medication may no longer be guaranteed to work as intended or might have degraded, making it unsafe to give.

C) Return the medication to the pharmacy:
Returning expired medication to the pharmacy is not a standard practice. The medication should be disposed of according to facility protocols, and the pharmacy should be notified of the issue so they can take appropriate actions.

D) Notify the provider:
While notifying the provider is important if there are issues with medication availability or alternatives, the immediate action regarding the expired medication itself is to discard it. The provider can be informed as part of addressing the medication issue and determining the next steps.

A) Apply pressure to the client's nasolacrimal duct after instillation:
Applying gentle pressure to the nasolacrimal duct (located at the inner corner of the eye) after administering ophthalmic medication helps to reduce systemic absorption and increase the medication’s efficacy. This technique helps to prevent the medication from draining into the nasolacrimal duct and into the systemic circulation.

B) Clean the client's eye from the outer canthus to the inner canthus before instillation:
The eye should be cleaned from the inner canthus to the outer canthus to avoid transferring debris or infection from the outer parts of the eye to the inner areas. Cleaning from outer to inner canthus may cause contamination.

C) Ask the client to tightly squeeze their eyes shut after the instillation:
Asking the client to tightly squeeze their eyes shut is not recommended as it can cause the medication to be expelled or lead to increased systemic absorption. Instead, the client should gently close their eyes to allow for proper absorption.

D) Instill the ophthalmic medication directly on the client's cornea:
The medication should be administered into the conjunctival sac rather than directly on the cornea. Direct application to the cornea can cause irritation or damage.