Psychotic Disorders no. 4042

Psychotic Disorders no. 4042

QUESTION: A client is about to be discharged with a prescription for the antipsychotic agent haloperidol (Haldol), 10 mg by mouth twice per day. During a discharge teaching session, the nurse should provide which instruction to the client?

✘O a.) Take the medication 1 hour before a meal.
✘O b.) Decrease the dosage if signs of illness decrease.
✓O c.) Apply a sunscreen before exposure to the sun.
✘O d.) Increase the dosage up to 50 mg twice per day if signs of illness don't decrease.

RATIONALE

RATIONALE: Because haloperidol can cause photosensitivity and precipitate severe sunburn, the nurse should instruct the client to apply a sunscreen before exposure to the sun. The nurse also should teach the client to take haloperidol with meals <font face="LWWSYM">:</font> not 1 hour before <font face="LWWSYM">:</font> and should instruct the client not to decrease or increase the dosage unless the physician orders it.
NURSING PROCESS STEP: Implementation
CLIENT NEEDS CATEGORY: Physiological integrity
CLIENT NEEDS SUBCATEGORY: Pharmacological and parenteral therapies
COGNITIVE LEVEL: Application