A 19-month-old child is admitted to the hospital for surgical repair of patent ductus arteriosus. The child is being given digoxin. Prior to administering the medication, the nurse should:

Digoxin should not be given to adults with an apical pulse <60 bpm. Digoxin should be given to children with an apical pulse >100 bpm. With a pulse <100 bpm, the medication should be withheld and the physician notified. Prior to digoxin administration in both children and adults, an apical pulse should be taken for 1 full minute. Aside from the rate per minute, the nurse should note any sudden increase or decrease in heart rate, irregular rhythm, or regularization of a chronic irregular heart rhythm. Early indications of digoxin toxicity, such as visual disturbances, occur rarely as initial signs in children.