After administering lithium, what is the most important sign for the nurse to monitor?

Monitoring for tremors is crucial after administering lithium, as they can be an early indicator of lithium toxicity. Lithium is a mood stabilizer commonly used to treat bipolar disorder, but its therapeutic range is narrow, and levels can rise quickly to toxic levels. Tremors, especially fine motor tremors, are often one of the first symptoms observed when lithium levels increase above the therapeutic range.

Recognizing tremors allows nurses to assess the patient's lithium levels promptly and ensure appropriate adjustments in medication or further evaluation. While weight changes, heart rate, and blood pressure are also important parameters in managing a patient's overall health and medication effects, they do not provide as immediate or direct insight into lithium toxicity as monitoring for tremors does. Therefore, close observation for tremors is essential in this context to ensure patient safety and effective management of lithium therapy.