A nurse is examining a patient’s medication prescription which states, “digoxin 0.25 by mouth daily.”. Which component of the prescription should the nurse confirm with the healthcare provider?

Choice A rationale

When a patient is placed on isolation precautions, the nurse should wear an N95 mask when caring for the patient. This is to protect the nurse from airborne particles that may be present in the patient’s environment.

Choice B rationale

Another important action the nurse should take is to place a container for soiled linens inside the patient’s room. This is to prevent the spread of infection from the patient’s room to other areas of the healthcare facility.

Choice C rationale

Wearing a sterile, water-resistant gown if within 3 feet of the patient is not necessary unless the patient has a condition that requires contact precautions, such as MRSA or VRE. In general, isolation precautions do not require the use of a sterile gown unless performing a sterile procedure.

Choice D rationale

Ensuring the patient’s room is well-ventilated is important for certain types of isolation precautions, such as airborne precautions for tuberculosis. However, it is not a standard action for all isolation precautions.

Choice A rationale: Using a resuscitation bag with 80% oxygen prior to the procedure is inappropriate. While pre-oxygenation is important before suctioning to prevent hypoxia, the oxygen concentration should be 100%, not 80%. Normal oxygen saturation levels are 95% to 100%. Pre-oxygenating with 100% oxygen ensures the patient maintains adequate oxygenation during the brief suctioning period. Using 80% oxygen does not fully optimize oxygen reserves for this purpose.

Choice B rationale: Selecting a suction catheter that is half the size of the tracheostomy lumen is appropriate. This size prevents excessive occlusion of the airway, ensuring adequate airflow during suctioning. The correct catheter size minimizes trauma to the tracheal mucosa and prevents hypoxia. The catheter should not exceed 50% of the tracheostomy diameter to maintain proper airway function, making this the correct action for safe and effective suctioning.

Choice C rationale

Placing the end of the suction catheter in water-soluble lubricant is not recommended. This could introduce bacteria into the airway and increase the risk of infection.

Choice D rationale

Adjusting the wall suction apparatus to a pressure of 170 mm Hg is not correct. The recommended suction pressure for adults is usually between 80 and 120 mm Hg. Suctioning at too high a pressure can cause trauma to the airway.