Question

A client admitted with hypertensive crisis has an intravenous (IV) infusion of 1000 mL of normal saline with 20 mEq of potassium chloride added. A prescription is written to administer sodium nitroprusside by continuous IV infusion. The nurse should plan to do which to administer this medication?

Option 1: Monitor the blood pressure every 15 minutes during administration.
Option 2: Protect the sodium nitroprusside from light with an opaque material.
Option 3: Check the solution for a faint brown coloration and discard it if this is noticed.
Option 4: Piggyback the sodium nitroprusside into the IV line containing the potassium chloride.

Answer 1

The nurse should monitor blood pressure during administration and protect sodium nitroprusside from light. Checking solution coloration and piggybacking with potassium chloride are not necessary.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should plan to monitor the blood pressure every 15 minutes during administration of sodium nitroprusside. This medication is used to lower blood pressure in patients at risk for heart failure. Monitoring the blood pressure is crucial to ensure the medication is effective and does not cause any adverse effects.

The nurse should also protect the sodium nitroprusside from light with an opaque material, as this medication is light-sensitive and can degrade when exposed to light. An opaque material, such as aluminum foil, can prevent light from reaching the medication and maintain its potency.

Checking the solution for a faint brown coloration is not necessary in this context. Piggybacking the sodium nitroprusside into the IV line containing potassium chloride is also not recommended as it can lead to incompatible reactions between the medications.