What is the initial action a nurse should take before administering digoxin to a patient?

Before administering digoxin, the initial action for a nurse is to check the healthcare provider's prescription for the digitalizing dose. This step is crucial because it ensures that the correct dosage is administered based on the patient's individual needs and clinical status. Digoxin has a narrow therapeutic index, meaning that the difference between an effective dose and a toxic dose is small. By confirming the prescribed dose, the nurse helps to prevent potential medication errors that could lead to serious adverse effects.

Verifying the prescription also involves understanding the indication for therapy, suitable dosing strategies, and any relevant laboratory values, such as serum electrolytes or renal function, that might influence the digoxin dose. Given the importance of accurate dosing in achieving therapeutic outcomes with digoxin, this preliminary action lays the foundation for safe medication administration.

Providing education, preparing the medication, and verifying allergies are important tasks as well, but they would come after ensuring that the correct and appropriate dose is prepared for administration based on the healthcare provider’s order.