A nurse is having a discussion with another nurse regarding the narrow therapeutic range of a particular drug. A patient has been taking this drug for 1 week. What is the most significant im-plication for the nurse who is caring for this patient?
a. The drug will be ineffective, because it will have difficulty reaching the minimum effective concentration.
b. The patient's body will maintain therapeutic levels easily.
c. The patient's kidney function may be compromised.
d. The patient should be monitored carefully for toxicity.
D
Toxicity is the most significant implication for the nurse to consider in a medication with a nar-row therapeutic range, and the patient should be monitored closely for signs of toxicity.
How effective the medication will be is not necessarily determined by the narrowness of the the-rapeutic range.
The drug may maintain therapeutic levels easily, but that is not the most significant implication of a narrow therapeutic range.
The therapeutic range of a medication is not related to the patient's kidney function.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis REF: pp. 41-42
TOP: Nursing Process: Diagnosis
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiological Integrity: Reduction of Risk Potential
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