Question

A patient with bipolar disorder takes lithium. After playing soccer on a hot summer day, the patient complains of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and thirst. The patient's hands begin to tremble and the gait becomes unsteady. What is the priority nursing intervention?

a.Administer an antiemetic medication to the patient.
b.Collaborate with the health care provider regarding increasing the daily lithium dose.
c.Instruct the patient not to take any more lithium until directed by the health care provider.
d.Collaborate with the health care provider about drawing a serum lithium level immediately.
e.Complete an abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS) evaluation on this patient immediately.

Answer 1

The priority nursing intervention is to instruct the patient not to take any more lithium until directed by the healthcare provider.

Step-by-step explanation:

The priority nursing intervention for a patient with bipolar disorder experiencing symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, thirst, hand tremors, and unsteady gait after playing soccer on a hot summer day is to instruct the patient not to take any more lithium until directed by the healthcare provider.

Lithium is a medication commonly prescribed for bipolar disorder, but excessive sweating and dehydration, common during physical activity in hot weather, can cause increased levels of lithium in the blood. This can lead to lithium toxicity, which presents with the symptoms described.

It is important for the patient to discontinue taking lithium until their healthcare provider can evaluate their condition and adjust the dosage, if necessary.