A nurse is caring for a client who was admitted in preterm labor at 33 weeks gestation.
The provider has ordered betamethasone 12 mg IM every 24 hours.
Before administering the medication, what should the nurse include in client teaching?

Choice A rationale

A rapid pulse is not typically associated with magnesium toxicity. Magnesium toxicity more commonly affects the nervous and muscular systems.

Choice B rationale

Tingling in toes can be a sign of early magnesium sulfate effects but not necessarily toxicity. It may indicate that the medication is starting to affect the nervous system.

Choice C rationale

Cool skin temperature is not a common sign of magnesium toxicity. Symptoms of magnesium toxicity are more related to neuromuscular and respiratory function.

Choice D rationale

Absent deep tendon reflexes are a key indicator of magnesium toxicity. This finding suggests that magnesium levels are high enough to depress neuromuscular function, requiring immediate medical intervention. .

Choice A rationale

A reaction from an epidural can cause side effects such as hypotension and shivering, but it is not related to tachysystole.

Choice B rationale

When the fetus's heart rate drops below baseline, it is termed bradycardia, not tachysystole. This condition can occur due to various reasons, including cord prolapse or placental insufficiency.

Choice C rationale

Tachysystole is defined as more than five contractions in 10 minutes. This condition can lead to reduced blood flow to the fetus, resulting in fetal distress.

Choice D rationale

Pitocin is a medication used to induce labor and can cause tachysystole, but the administration of Pitocin itself is not the definition of tachysystole. It's the increased frequency of contractions that defines the condition.