Final answer:
The nurse should consult the pharmacist or alert the charge nurse and contact the health care provider when the medication packaging does not match the prescribed route, ensuring patient safety and protocol adherence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse should consult the pharmacist regarding the error when the packaging for digoxin is meant for a different route than prescribed. This action ensures patient safety and adherence to the medication administration protocol. If consultation with a pharmacist is not immediately possible, the nurse must alert the charge nurse to the medication error and contact the health care provider for further instructions, as administering medication via the wrong route can lead to serious complications. It is critical to address such discrepancies before administering medications to prevent adverse effects.
For educational purposes, it is also valuable to note the context of atrial fibrillation and its treatments, although not directly related to the question at hand. Atrial fibrillation is characterized by an irregular and often rapid heart rate that can increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications. Medications like digoxin are often prescribed to control the heart rate. Meanwhile, ventricular fibrillation is a more severe cardiac rhythm disturbance where prompt defibrillation is necessary to restore a normal sinus rhythm and prevent brain death.