A patient is admitted to the acute care telemetry unit with a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation.The physician orders dofetilide (Tikosyn).Before initiating this medication,the nurse will:

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Before initiating dofetilide, the nurse should assess the patient's potassium level because low potassium levels can increase the risk of developing abnormal heart rhythms. The other options are not necessarily relevant to initiating dofetilide. Anticoagulant medications may still be needed to prevent blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation. ECG leads should remain in place for monitoring the patient's heart rhythm. The Q-Tc interval should not be less than 440 to 500 msec, but it is not necessary to ensure it is more than this value before initiating dofetilide.

A Patient Is Admitted to the Acute Care Telemetry Unit