Author Question: The nurse receives an order to give morphine 5 mg IV every 2 hours PRN pain. Which action is not ... (Read 93 times)

renzo156 · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

The nurse receives an order to give morphine 5 mg IV every 2 hours PRN pain. Which action is not part of the six rights of drug administration?

a. Assessing the patient's pain level 15 to 30 minutes after giving the medication
b. Checking the medication administration record to see when the last dose was administered
c. Consulting a drug manual to determine whether the amount the prescriber ordered is appropriate
d. Documenting the reason the medication was given in the patient's electronic medical record

Question 2

A postoperative patient is being discharged home with acetaminophen/hydrocodone (Lortab) for pain. The patient asks the nurse about using Tylenol for fever. Which statement by the nurse is correct?

a. It is not safe to take over-the-counter drugs with prescription medications.
b. Taking the two medications together poses a risk of drug toxicity.
c. There are no known drug interactions, so this will be safe.
d. Tylenol and Lortab are different drugs, so there is no risk of overdose.

amanda_14 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
Assessing the patient's pain after administering the medication is an important part of the nursing process when giving medications, but it is not part of the six rights of drug administration. Checking to see when the last dose was given helps ensure that the medication is given at the right time. Consulting a drug manual helps ensure that the medication is given in the right dose. Documenting the reason for a pain medication is an important part of the right documentationthe sixth right.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Tylenol is the trade name and acetaminophen is the generic name for the same medication. It is important to teach patients to be aware of the different names for the same drug to minimize the risk of overdose. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications and prescription medications may be taken together unless significant harmful drug interactions are possible. Even though no drug interactions are at play in this case, both drugs contain acetaminophen, which could lead to toxicity.