A health care provider calls a nursing unit to leave a telephone ...

[Alygatorr01285]

A health care provider calls a nursing unit to leave a telephone order for a PRN antipyretic medication for a child. The provider tells the nurse to give PO acetaminophen for a fever greater than 101 F per protocol.
 
  What will the nurse do next?
  a. Ask the provider to verify how many mg per kg per dose and how frequently to give the medication.
  b. Look up the protocol in the unit manual and write the drug order for the provider to sign.
  c. Provide the child's weight to the hospital pharmacist to write the order based on the protocol.
  d. Transcribe the verbal order to the order sheet as give PO acetaminophen for a fever greater than 101 F per protocol.

Question 2

The pediatric nurse reviews a hand-written medication order which reads, 09/16/2013, acetaminophen 160 mg (5 mL) PO q4h for fever. What will the nurse do next?
 
  a. Administer the drug when indicated.
  b. Ask the provider to confirm if dose is correct for the patient's age.
  c. Clarify the nursing assessments necessary for giving a dose.
  d. Contact the provider to request patient allergy information.

[mcinincha279]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
The components of a drug order include drug name, dose, route, frequency, and any instructions for dosing. A nurse receiving a telephone order should read back the order from the provider that includes this information. The provider, and not the nurse or the pharmacist, is responsible for writing the order with all components.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
This order contains all components except the level of temperature necessary to justify a dose of an antipyretic. The patient's age and allergy information are part of the medical record data base.

[Alygatorr01285]

Excellent

[JCABRERA33]

TYSM