The nurse is giving an intramuscular (IM) injection. Upon aspiration, the nurse notices blood return in the syringe. What should the nurse do?
Give the injection and hold pressure over the site for 3 minutes.
Administer the injection at a slower rate.
Withdraw the needle and prepare the injection again.
Pull the needle back slightly and inject the medication.
The Correct Answer is C
A. Continuing with the injection after seeing blood return increases the risk of injecting into a blood vessel, which is not safe for IM injections.
B. Administering at a slower rate does not address the issue of possible intravascular injection.
C. If blood is aspirated, the correct procedure is to withdraw the needle, dispose of the medication, and prepare a new dose to prevent intravascular administration, as IM injections are meant to be given into muscle tissue, not into a vein.
D. Pulling the needle back slightly is not recommended because it does not ensure that the needle is completely out of the blood vessel.
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Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. The pharmacist is responsible for filling prescriptions accurately but does not have control over how the nurse interprets the prescription once received.
B. The nurse has the ultimate responsibility for verifying and administering medications safely, including clarifying unclear prescriptions before administration.
C. The hospital has policies and systems in place to reduce errors, but accountability for individual actions lies with the nurse administering the medication.
D. The health care provider is responsible for prescribing medications accurately; however, the nurse must confirm and clarify any unclear prescriptions before administration.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
A. Weak quadriceps muscles can occur with electrolyte imbalances, but the provided values do not indicate hypokalemia or other issues causing muscle weakness.
B. Decreased deep tendon reflexes are generally associated with elevated calcium levels or other electrolyte disturbances but are not specifically indicated by the given lab values.
C. A calcium level of 4.5 mg/dL is significantly low (normal range is typically around 8.5-10.5 mg/dL), which can lead to hypocalcemia symptoms such as tingling of the extremities and tetany due to increased neuromuscular excitability.
D. Light-headedness when standing up (orthostatic hypotension) is more related to fluid volume status or dehydration rather than directly related to the given electrolyte levels.