A nurse is working with a patient who has been taking medication for anxiety for several weeks and now reports that the medication doesn't seem to work anymore. The patient has stopped taking the medication, as it doesn't work. Which finding should the nurse suspect?

A. Endangering the elderly: Teratogenicity does not refer to endangering the elderly. It is related to effects on the fetus.

B. Causing birth defects in the unborn fetus: Teratogenic substances are those that can cause birth defects when a pregnant woman is exposed to them.

C. Cancer-causing: Substances that cause cancer are called carcinogens, not teratogens.

D. Endangering the health of the mother: While some teratogens can also affect the mother, the term specifically refers to causing birth defects in the fetus.

A. Notify the charge nurse that patients may have received inappropriate medication dosages.
Jumping to conclusions about inappropriate dosages without first investigating the rationale for the dosing is premature and could cause unnecessary alarm.

B. Evaluate the laboratory values of each patient to determine liver and kidney function as a possible reason for decreased dosages. Lower dosages are often prescribed for older adults due to decreased liver and kidney function, which can affect drug metabolism and excretion. Evaluating lab values ensures that these dosages are appropriate and safe.

C. Do not worry about the discrepancy because this is not the nurse's unit.
Ignoring the discrepancy is not appropriate, as it’s important for all nurses to advocate for patient safety, regardless of the unit.

D. Call the nursing supervisor to investigate the nurse's concerns.
The nursing supervisor may need to be involved, but the first step is to review the relevant clinical data (lab values) to assess the situation.