A nurse is reviewing a client's medical record and discovers that the client received a double dose of a prescribed medication. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Report the incident to the manager of the pharmacy.
Place a copy of the incident report in the client's record.
Document the doubled dose in the client's medical record.
Contact the nurse from the previous shift to report the doubled dose.
The Correct Answer is A
A. Reporting the incident to the manager of the pharmacy is the appropriate action to ensure that the medication error is addressed and investigated properly, as this can help prevent future occurrences.
B. Incident reports should not be placed in the client's medical record, as they are separate documents meant for internal review and quality improvement.
C. Documenting the doubled dose in the client's medical record does not fulfill the legal requirements for reporting medication errors and could mislead future care providers about the medication administration history.
D. Contacting the nurse from the previous shift may be necessary for understanding the situation, but the priority is to report the incident properly to ensure patient safety.
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Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Informing the charge nurse of the need to reassign the client’s care is unnecessary unless the nurse is unable to provide safe and competent care for the transfusion.
B. Obtaining informed consent is essential before a blood transfusion to ensure the client is aware of the procedure's purpose, benefits, and potential risks.
C. Delegating the client's care to another RN may be appropriate if the nurse lacks competence with transfusions, but obtaining consent is a priority.
D. Accessing the nursing information system for transfusion guidelines is helpful, but obtaining consent takes precedence before proceeding with the transfusion.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Reporting the concern to the charge nurse is the appropriate action, as it ensures that the issue is addressed through proper channels. The charge nurse can investigate and determine if further action is needed, such as reviewing the medication administration process.
B. Questioning the nurse directly could lead to confrontations and is not the correct procedure for handling potential discrepancies in medication administration.
C. Notifying the pharmacy is unnecessary at this point because the issue concerns administration rather than medication supply or errors with the prescription.
D. While documenting the client’s report is important, simply documenting the client’s claim without notifying the charge nurse does not fully address the concern.