A nurse is caring for a woman on a continuous IV of magnesium sulfate. Which actions are appropriate ...

ANS: B, D, E
Magnesium sulfate is a high-risk, high-alert drug and the nurse must be cautious about administering this drug safely. Some appropriate actions include double-checking any rate or dose changes with a second nurse, performing the handoff report at the bedside so that both nurses can verify the orders and compare them to the IV bag and pump rate, and color-coding IV lines, bags, and pumps for easy identification. The nurse should ensure that a supply of the antidote (calcium gluconate 10) is available. However, romazicon is the antidote for benzodiazepine overdose. The nurse should use a small-volume IV piggyback for the bolus dose instead of using the main bag to give the bolus to the patient, and then change the infusion rate to the maintenance setting.