NCLEX Question of the Day

January 14, 2026

Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies QID 483

When administering intravenous phenytoin, the nurse must follow which of the following guidelines to prevent complications?

A:
Infuse slowly and not exceed a rate of 50 mg/min.
B:
Mix the phenytoin with dextrose solutions to increase stability and solubility.
C:
Use a vented intravenous tubing set to avoid drug precipitation.
D:
Administer as a rapid I.V. bolus to ensure therapeutic levels are reached swiftly.

Explanation

When administering intravenous phenytoin, it is important to infuse the medication slowly and not exceed a rate of 50 mg/min in adults to prevent hypotension and cardiac arrhythmias. Administering as a rapid I.V. bolus can cause severe cardiovascular complications. Phenytoin should not be mixed with dextrose solutions as it precipitates in dextrose and should be administered in normal saline. A vented intravenous tubing set is not typically required for phenytoin infusion.

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