The nurse is teaching a person who has started taking digoxin (Lanoxin)for left-sided heart failure. What is the highest priority information to teach?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The highest priority information to teach is to check the pulse each day before taking the medication and not take the medication if the pulse is under 60 beats per minute without talking to the doctor. This is because digoxin can cause bradycardia (slow heart rate) and it is important to monitor the pulse rate to prevent toxicity. Writing down the results on a notepad and managing diarrhoea are also important, but not as high of a priority as monitoring the pulse rate. Foods to avoid while taking digoxin are also important to teach, but they do not have as direct of an impact on the person's safety as monitoring the pulse rate.

The Nurse Is Teaching a Person Who Has Started Taking