RN Nursing · Substance Use Disorders · Practice question
A nurse is planning care for a client who is undergoing alcohol withdrawal and is receiving diazepam. Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan?
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✓
Initiate seizure precautions.
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Administer the medication with an antacid.
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Administer the medication subcutaneously.
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Initiate contact precautions
Answer & explanation
Correct: Initiate seizure precautions.
Alcohol withdrawal carries a significant risk of seizures, typically occurring within 6 to 48 hours of the last drink and potentially progressing to life-threatening delirium tremens. Diazepam, a benzodiazepine, is the mainstay of treatment because it cross-tolerates with alcohol at the GABA receptor and reduces withdrawal seizure risk. However, the medication does not eliminate seizure risk entirely, especially early in treatment, so the nurse must initiate seizure precautions — padding the side rails, keeping suction and oxygen at the bedside, and ensuring IV access. Diazepam should not be administered with antacids because antacids can alter absorption, nor should it be given subcutaneously; diazepam is administered orally or intravenously (IV or IM only in specific formulations). Contact precautions are used for infectious conditions transmitted by direct contact, such as C. difficile or MRSA — alcohol withdrawal is not an infectious process, so contact precautions are not indicated. Seizure precautions represent the priority safety intervention in this clinical scenario.
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