Advice please!!

[sashibeak]

Hi Everyone!

I am a student RN and went to my 2nd clinical yesterday at my local nursing facility.

My patient had last stages of Alzheimer's, seizures, DM II, full contractures, incontinence, etc.

I am currently looking at all the info I gathered and I see that her Valproic Acid level was down quite a considerable amount during one of her recent hepatic function panel testings. She is on Depakote 250 mg bid. Will this affect her V.acid levels?? Is it due to the DM II as well?

I have searched the net and my diagnostic lab manual, but can't find any decent ground info. I would SO appreciate any help!

Thank you SO much!

[jenac]

Originally posted by zuchRN

I would also like to point out that this resident may be on depakote for behavior management issues. We are using depakote and klonopin more and more for behaviors, this may explain the low dose and being used in combination...Just anopther thought.

We have multipe resident's on Depakote for behavior. I would check for an seizure history- but at the low dose, it may be used for the behavior modification. Hepatic function labs are drawn rountinly to monitor Valproic Acid levels .