A nurse is teaching a client who has a new prescription for diazepam. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the teaching?

A. The client demonstrated an allergic response to the medication: While allergic reactions to disulfiram can occur, severe nausea and vomiting after taking the medication are more likely due to its interaction with alcohol rather than an allergic response.

B. The client consumed alcohol while taking the medication: Disulfiram is used to deter alcohol consumption by causing unpleasant reactions when alcohol is ingested. Severe nausea and vomiting are common adverse effects of consuming alcohol while on disulfiram.

C. The client took an overdose of the medication: An overdose of disulfiram could potentially lead to severe adverse effects, but nausea and vomiting alone are not typically indicative of an overdose.

D. The client experienced a common side effect of the medication: While nausea and vomiting are common side effects of disulfiram, they are typically experienced in response to alcohol consumption rather than as direct effects of the medication itself.

B. Shake the container vigorously:

This is the correct action. Phenytoin suspension tends to settle over time, leading to non-uniform distribution of the medication in the suspension. Therefore, shaking the container vigorously before administering each dose ensures proper dispersion of the medication and helps maintain consistent drug concentration, thus promoting therapeutic efficacy.

A. Check the child's blood pressure:

Checking the child's blood pressure is not directly related to the administration of phenytoin suspension. Monitoring blood pressure may be indicated in certain clinical situations or with certain medications, but it is not specifically required before administering phenytoin suspension.

C. Be sure the child has not eaten within the hour:

While it's important to consider food-drug interactions with certain medications, such as those affected by food intake, there are no specific dietary restrictions associated with phenytoin suspension administration. Therefore, checking whether the child has eaten within the hour is not a necessary step before administering phenytoin suspension.

D. Perform mouth care:

Performing mouth care is not directly related to the administration of phenytoin suspension. However, oral hygiene is important for overall health, especially in children who may have difficulty performing adequate mouth care independently. While mouth care should be encouraged, it is not specifically required before administering phenytoin suspension.