Author Question: The nurse prepares a pain injection for a patient but had to check on another patient and asks a new ... (Read 61 times)

lunatika · **on:** Jul 22, 2018

The nurse prepares a pain injection for a patient but had to check on another patient and asks a new nurse to give the medication. Which action by the new nurse is best?

a. Do not give the medication.
b. Administer the medication just this once.
c. Give the medication for any pain score greater than 8.
d. Avoid the issue and pretend to not hear the request.

Question 2

A patient who is being discharged today is going home with an inhaler. The patient is to administer 2 puffs of the inhaler twice daily. The inhaler contains 200 puffs. When should the nurse appropriately advise the patient to refill the medication?

a. 6 weeks from the start of using the inhaler
b. As soon as the patient leaves the hospital
c. When the inhaler is half empty.
d. 50 days after discharge

wuly · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 22, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
Because the nurse who administers the medication is responsible for any errors related to it, nurses administer only the medications they prepare. You cannot delegate preparation of medication to another person and then administer the medication to the patient. The right medication cannot be verified by the new nurse; do not violate the six rights. Do not administer the medication even one time. Do not administer the medication regardless of the pain rating. Avoiding the issue is not appropriate or safe.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
Six weeks will be about the time the inhaler will need to be refilled. The inhaler should last the patient 50 days (2 puffs 2/twice daily = 4; 200/4 = 50); the nurse should advise the patient to refill the prescription when there are 7 to 10 days of medication remaining. Refilling it as soon as the patient leaves the hospital or when the inhaler is half empty is too early. If the patient waits 50 days, the patient will run out of medication before it can be refilled.