Following injection of lidocaine during an epidural anesthetic, the patient begins to complain of numbness of her lips, dizziness, and ringing in the ears. Which of the following would be an appropriate intervention?
A. Encourage the patient to hyperventilate
B. Encourage the patient to take slow, shallow breaths
C. Administer thiopental sodium 50-100 mg IV
D. Administer atropine 0.4 mg IV to prevent possible bradycardia