Chapter 5: Medication Errors: Preventing and Responding Flashcards
During a period of time when the computerized medication order system was down, the prescriber wrote admission orders, and the nurse is transcribing them. The nurse is having difficulty transcribing one order because of the prescriber’s handwriting. Which is the best action for the nurse to take at this time?
Contact the prescriber to clarify the order.
If a prescriber writes an order that is illegible, the nurse should contact the prescriber for clarification.
When given a scheduled morning medication, the patient states, “I haven’t seen that pill before. Are you sure it’s correct?” The nurse checks the medication administration record and verifies that it is listed. Which is the nurse’s best response?
“Let me check on the order first before you take it.”
When giving medications, the nurse should always listen to and honor any concerns or doubts expressed by the patient.
The nurse is reviewing a list of verbal medication orders. Which is the proper notation of the dose of the drug ordered?
a. Digoxin .125 mg
b. Digoxin .1250 mg
c. Digoxin 0.125 mg
d. Digoxin 0.1250 mg
c. Digoxin 0.125 mg
The nurse is reviewing medication errors. Which situation is an example of a medication error?
A patient receives a double dose of a medication because the nurse did not cut the pill in half.
A medication error is defined as a preventable adverse drug event that involves inappropriate medication use by a patient or health care provider.
During a period of time when the computerized medication order system was down, the prescriber wrote admission orders, and the nurse is transcribing them. The nurse is having difficulty transcribing one order because of the prescriber’s handwriting. Which is the best action for the nurse to take at this time?
Contact the prescriber to clarify the order.
If a prescriber writes an order that is illegible, the nurse should contact the prescriber for clarification. Asking a colleague is not useful because the colleague did not write the order.
