Author Question: The nurse is preparing medications for a group of clients. Another nurse begins telling the nurse ... (Read 91 times)

Redwolflake15 · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

The nurse is preparing medications for a group of clients. Another nurse begins telling the nurse about her recent engagement. What is the best plan of action by the first nurse?

1. Tell the second nurse that the conversation is distracting and must cease while medications are being prepared.
2. Ask the second nurse to help with administering medications so they can have more time to talk.
3. Continue to prepare the medications for administration and pretend to listen to the first nurse.
4. Stop preparing medications until the first nurse has finished talking about her engagement.

Question 2

The nurse is working hard to prevent medication errors. Which plans will assist the nurse in preventing most errors?

1. Plan to validate all orders with another nurse prior to administration of medications.
2. Plan to assess for patient variables such as age, weight, and diagnostic lab studies prior to administration.
3. Plan to tell health care providers that verbal orders will not be accepted.
4. Plan to always check the client's identification band prior to administration of medications.
5. Plan to record the medication on the medication administration record (MAR) immediately prior to administration.

Mollythedog · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: When preparing medications, the nurse must focus entirely on the task at hand, and instruct others who are talking to stop.
Rationale 2: It is inappropriate to ask another nurse to help with medications so there is more time to talk.
Rationale 3: Pretending to listen to the second nurse's conversation would be distracting.
Rationale 4: The nurse cannot stop preparing medications; the clients must receive them on time.
Global Rationale: When preparing medications, the nurse must focus entirely on the task at hand, and instruct others who are talking to stop. It is inappropriate to ask another nurse to help with medications so there is more time to talk. Pretending to listen to the second nurse's conversation would be distracting. The nurse cannot stop preparing medications; the clients must receive them on time.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 2,3,4
Rationale 1: Only high-risk drugs (e.g., insulin) need to be validated with another nurse. It is okay to validate any drug with another nurse if the nurse giving the medications wants a second opinion.
Rationale 2: Nurses should always account for patient variables such as age, weight, and any diagnostic studies that may impact the administration of medication.
Rationale 3: Requiring a written medication order also reduces the possibility of an error related to similar-sounding drug names.
Rationale 4: This is one of the five rights of drug administration to prevent errors.
Rationale 5: Medications should never be documented on the MAR until they have been administered. Documenting anything prior to the actual event is false documentation.
Global Rationale: Nurses should always account for patient variables such as age, weight, and any diagnostic studies that may impact the administration of medication. Requiring a written medication order also reduces the possibility of an error related to similar-sounding drug names. Checking the client identification band is one of the rights of drug administration to prevent errors. Only high-risk drugs (e.g., insulin) need to be validated with another nurse. It is okay to validate any drug with another nurse if the nurse giving the medications wants a second opinion. Medications should never be documented on the MAR until they have been administered. Documenting anything prior to the actual event is false documentation.