Final answer:
The correct medication to administer to a patient who has experienced a thrombotic stroke within the past 2 hours is tissue plasminogen activator, as it is a thrombolytic agent that rapidly breaks down blood clots.
Step-by-step explanation:
For a patient who has suffered a thrombotic stroke and is within the crucial 3-hour window for treatment, the administration of a thrombolytic agent is the first line of intervention. This is because thrombolytic agents, such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), facilitate the breakdown of the thrombus (blood clot), which is occluding a blood vessel in the brain, thereby restoring blood flow and minimizing brain damage. tPA works by converting plasminogen to plasmin, the enzyme primarily responsible for clot degradation.
In contrast, other medications such as Heparin sodium, Warfarin (Coumadin), and Gabapentin (Neurontin) serve different purposes in stroke management. Heparin and Coumadin are anticoagulant drugs which may be used to prevent new clots from forming or existing clots from getting larger, but they do not work as fast as thrombolytic agents to actively break down a clot. Gabapentin is not a blood thinner or clot-buster but is often used to manage pain or seizures and is not indicated for acute stroke treatment.
Therefore, the final answer for the medication the nurse should prepare to administer is A. Tissue plasminogen activator. This medication is specifically designed for rapid clot degradation and to improve outcomes when administered soon after stroke symptoms begin.