The nurse is preparing to administer the client's morning dose of digoxin. Which action should the nurse take prior to administering the digoxin?

A. Verify that the urine output exceeds 30 mL per hour: Although adequate urine output is important for assessing overall kidney function, it is not directly related to the safe administration of digoxin. Digoxin administration is primarily concerned with heart rate and rhythm, not renal perfusion measures before dosing. B. Check the client for signs of orthostatic hypotension: Orthostatic hypotension assessment is valuable in many clinical scenarios but is not the primary safety check required before administering digoxin. The priority is to ensure the heart rate is sufficient and regular, as digoxin can cause bradycardia. C. Listen to the heart at the left 5th intercostal space: Digoxin can cause significant bradycardia and arrhythmias. Therefore, the nurse must auscultate the apical heart rate at the 5th intercostal space at the midclavicular line for a full minute to determine if the rate is within safe limits for administration, 60 – 100 beats per minute in adults. D. Obtain a left radial pulse rate for a full 30 seconds: Checking a peripheral pulse for only 30 seconds is inadequate for evaluating the cardiac effects of digoxin. Peripheral pulses may be irregular or faint in cases of dysrhythmias, leading to inaccurate assessment compared to direct apical heart auscultation.