A patient who has recently begun taking lithium (Lithobid) calls the clinic to report nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and hand tremor. What will the nurse do next?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

These symptoms can be signs of lithium toxicity, so the nurse should contact the provider to obtain an order for a serum lithium level to assess the patient's lithium level and make dose adjustments as needed. It is not appropriate to reassure the patient that these symptoms are common and transient or tell the patient that the lithium dose is probably too low. It is also not appropriate to tell the patient to stop taking the medication immediately without consulting the provider.

A Patient Who Has Recently Begun Taking Lithium (Lithobid) Calls