A patient who has been on lithium for 5 days walks up the hall singing loudly and gaily greets everyone he sees.He is a little unsteady in his walker.He asks for more ice water saying he is very thirsty and complaining of insomnia.The nurse would report the observation of:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ataxic gait should be reported immediately as a sign of lithium toxicity.It is too soon in therapy for the mania to be controlled.Thirst and insomnia are expected side effects of lithium,but not toxic ones.

A Patient Who Has Been on Lithium for 5 Days