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The nurse should inform the prescriber and request a liver function test because nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain may be signs of hepatotoxicity, which is a serious and potentially fatal adverse effect of valproic acid¹². The nurse should also monitor the patient's vital signs, jaundice, dark urine, clay-colored stools, and serum ammonia levels²³.

The nurse should inform the prescriber and request a liver function test because nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain may be signs of hepatotoxicity, which is a serious and potentially fatal adverse effect of valproic acid¹². The nurse should also monitor the patient's vital signs, jaundice, dark urine, clay-colored stools, and serum ammonia levels²³.

The nurse should inform the prescriber and request a liver function test because nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain may be signs of hepatotoxicity, which is a serious and potentially fatal adverse effect of valproic acid¹². The nurse should also monitor the patient's vital signs, jaundice, dark urine, clay-colored stools, and serum ammonia levels²³.

- Saying, "You should stop taking the drug and ask your doctor for something else." is wrong because the nurse should not advise the patient to stop taking gabapentin abruptly, as this can cause withdrawal symptoms or seizures. The nurse should also not suggest alternative drugs without knowing the patient's medical history, allergies, or other medications¹².

- Saying, "You should increase your dose until you get relief from your pain." is wrong because the nurse should not advise the patient to increase their dose of gabapentin without consulting their doctor, as this can cause toxicity or adverse effects. The nurse should also not imply that gabapentin is ineffective for neuropathic pain, as it is one of the first-line drugs for this condition⁴.

- Saying, "You should continue taking the drug as prescribed and avoid driving or operating machinery." is partially correct, but not the best response. The nurse should advise the patient to continue taking gabapentin as prescribed and avoid driving or operating machinery until they know how the drug affects them, but they should also report their symptoms to their doctor as they may indicate toxicity¹².

The action that the nurse should take is choice D. Monitor the patient's respiratory rate and oxygen saturation during and after the drug administration. This is an important action because phenobarbital is a barbiturate that can cause respiratory depression, especially when given intravenously²³. The nurse should monitor the patient's respiratory rate and oxygen saturation and be prepared to provide respiratory support if needed²³.

The action that the nurse should take is choice D. Monitor the patient's respiratory rate and oxygen saturation during and after the drug administration. This is an important action because phenobarbital is a barbiturate that can cause respiratory depression, especially when given intravenously²³. The nurse should monitor the patient's respiratory rate and oxygen saturation and be prepared to provide respiratory support if needed²³.

The action that the nurse should take is choice D. Monitor the patient's respiratory rate and oxygen saturation during and after the drug administration. This is an important action because phenobarbital is a barbiturate that can cause respiratory depression, especially when given intravenously²³. The nurse should monitor the patient's respiratory rate and oxygen saturation and be prepared to provide respiratory support if needed²³.