A nurse receives a prescription stating, "Aspirin 325 mg, 2 tablets orally for pain." When preparing to administer this medication to a patient reporting pain, what is the nurse's best course of action?
Clarify with the prescribing provider whether the order is to be given routinely or as needed (PRN), and determine the frequency of administration before giving the medication.
Administer 2 tablets of aspirin immediately, as the dose is clearly stated and the patient reports pain.
Hold the medication and wait for the patient to request it again to confirm continued pain before administering.
Give one tablet now and the second tablet after 30 minutes if pain persists, following standard pain management protocols.
The Correct Answer is A
A. Clarify with the prescribing provider whether the order is to be given routinely or as needed (PRN), and determine the frequency of administration before giving the medication: The prescription does not specify whether it is PRN or scheduled, nor the minimum interval between doses. Clarification ensures safe, legal, and appropriate administration.
B. Administer 2 tablets of aspirin immediately, as the dose is clearly stated and the patient reports pain: Administering the medication without clarification could result in inappropriate dosing or exceed safe daily limits. Dose amount alone does not confirm safe timing or frequency.
C. Hold the medication and wait for the patient to request it again to confirm continued pain before administering: While assessing pain is important, withholding medication without clarification from the provider could delay pain relief and does not address the ambiguity in the order.
D. Give one tablet now and the second tablet after 30 minutes if pain persists, following standard pain management protocols: Altering the prescribed dose without provider instruction is unsafe and constitutes medication error. Standard protocols cannot override unclear prescriptions without clarification.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Calculation:
- Identify the ordered dose and tablet strength
Ordered Dose: 500 mg
Tablet Strength: 250 mg per tablet
- Calculate the number of tablets to administer
Number of Tablets = Ordered Dose ÷ Tablet Strength
Number of Tablets = 500 ÷ 250
= 2
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Holds many responsibilities: The nurse is responsible for safely preparing, verifying, administering, and monitoring medications. This includes assessing the client’s condition, identifying potential contraindications, observing for adverse effects, and documenting accurately. The nurse must also educate the client and respond promptly to any complications.
B. Has very few responsibilities: Medication administration carries significant responsibilities for safety, accuracy, and client monitoring. Minimizing the nurse’s role would compromise patient care and increase the risk of errors.
C. Delegates all tasks to other personnel because she is too busy: While certain support tasks can be delegated, the nurse cannot delegate the assessment, verification, administration, and monitoring of medications. These are critical responsibilities that require professional judgment.
D. Only prepares medications: Preparing medications is only one part of the nurse’s role. Safe administration also requires verification, monitoring, documentation, and client education, which go beyond mere preparation.
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