The nurse is assisting with medication teaching for a patient who is prescribed lithium carbonate (Eskalith) for bipolar disorder. Which instruction by the nurse is most important?
a. Teach the patient side effects to report, such as nausea or weight gain.
b. Instruct the patient to discontinue other antidepressant agents.
c. Explain to the patient and significant other the importance of regular blood tests.
d. Teach the patient that the lithium will help stabilize mood swings.
ANS: C
Lithium is an antimanic medication with a very narrow therapeutic range (toxic drug levels can easily develop). Lithium levels must be drawn regularly to assess that serum levels are in the therapeutic range. Reporting of side effects is important, but nausea and weight gain are not life threatening. The patient should not discontinue other antidepressants unless instructed to do so by the physician. Lithium will stabilize mood swings, and it is important to tell the patient this, but not as important as advising the patient to have regular levels checked to avoid toxicity.
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