A nurse is preparing to administer a hazardous IV medication to a client. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A) Increased urinary output: Ondansetron is a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist commonly used to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting, particularly in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and postoperative nausea and vomiting. While increased urinary output may be indicative of improved hydration status or renal function, it is not a direct indicator of ondansetron's effectiveness in controlling nausea and vomiting. Therefore, it is not the most appropriate finding to assess the effectiveness of ondansetron.

B) Reduced dizziness: Ondansetron primarily targets nausea and vomiting by blocking serotonin receptors in the gastrointestinal tract and the chemoreceptor trigger zone. While dizziness may sometimes accompany nausea and vomiting, its reduction may not directly correlate with the effectiveness of ondansetron. Additionally, dizziness can have various causes beyond nausea and vomiting, such as orthostatic hypotension or vestibular dysfunction. Therefore, reduced dizziness alone may not reliably indicate the effectiveness of ondansetron.

C) Absence of peripheral neuropathy: Peripheral neuropathy refers to damage or dysfunction of peripheral nerves, commonly resulting in symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or weakness in the extremities. Ondansetron is not indicated for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy, and its effectiveness in controlling nausea and vomiting would not directly influence the presence or absence of peripheral neuropathy. Therefore, this finding is unrelated to the effectiveness of ondansetron in managing nausea and vomiting.

D) Decreased nausea: Ondansetron is primarily prescribed to alleviate nausea and vomiting associated with various conditions. Therefore, a decrease in nausea would indicate that ondansetron is effective in achieving its therapeutic goal. Assessing the client's level of nausea and observing a reduction in nausea symptoms after administering ondansetron is a direct and appropriate way to evaluate its effectiveness in controlling nausea and vomiting. Thus, decreased nausea is the most accurate indicator of ondansetron's effectiveness among the options provided.

A) Ask another nurse to check the medication dosage prior to administration: While double-checking medication dosages with another nurse can be a part of the medication safety process, it primarily ensures the right dose rather than confirming the right medication. This action focuses on the right dose rather than the right medication.

B) Use two client identifiers prior to administering the medication: This action aligns with the principles of medication safety and the "five rights" of medication administration, which include the right patient. Using at least two client identifiers, such as name and date of birth, helps ensure that the medication is being administered to the correct patient, which is essential for preventing errors related to patient misidentification.

C) Document the full name of the prescribed medication after administration: While accurate documentation is important for maintaining a complete record of medication administration, documenting the full name of the medication after administration does not directly ensure that the right medication was administered beforehand. It is a step in the documentation process but does not specifically address the verification of the medication before administration.

D) Verify a written order with the medication administration record: Verifying a written order with the medication administration record helps ensure that the correct medication is being administered as prescribed by the healthcare provider. However, this action focuses on confirming the accuracy of the prescription rather than confirming the right medication immediately before administration.