A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has a new prescription for methimazole to treat Graves' disease. Which of the following information should the nurse include?
Explanation & Rationale
A. "Be sure to sit when you urinate and double flush the toilet with the lid closed.": This instruction relates to precautions for clients taking medications that can be excreted in urine, such as certain chemotherapeutic agents, and is not relevant to methimazole therapy. B. "Take precautions in crowds to avoid people who are ill.": Methimazole can cause agranulocytosis, leading to a decreased ability to fight infections. Clients should be advised to avoid large crowds and report symptoms like fever or sore throat promptly. C. "It is important that you avoid contact with young children and pregnant people.": Methimazole does not require strict avoidance of these populations under normal circumstances, so this is not standard discharge teaching. D. "Refrain from returning to work for the first few days of therapy.": Routine work restrictions are not necessary when starting methimazole unless the client experiences adverse effects such as severe fatigue or infection.