Question

A nurse is providing discharge instructions to a client who has a prescription for phenytoin. Which of the following information should the nurse include?

A. Consider taking an antacid when on this medication.
B. Watch for receding gums when taking the medication.
C. Take the medication at the same time every day.
D. Provide a urine sample to determine therapeutic levels of the medication.

Answer 1

The correct discharge instruction for a client prescribed phenytoin is to take the medication at the same time every day to maintain consistent blood levels and prevent seizures.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse providing discharge instructions for a client prescribed phenytoin should include relevant information to ensure the safe and effective use of the medication. Among the options presented, the correct instruction to include is:

• Take the medication at the same time every day (Option C).

Taking phenytoin at the same time every day helps maintain consistent blood levels, which is critical for the medication's efficacy and to prevent seizures.

It is not typically advised to take antacids with phenytoin as they can affect the medication's absorption (Option A). Receding gums can be a side effect of long-term phenytoin use, so patients should be aware of this and maintain good oral hygiene, but it's not a discharge instruction (Option B). Providing a urine sample is not the standard way to determine therapeutic levels of phenytoin; blood tests are used instead (Option D).