How many identifiers should a nurse use to verify the right client before administering medication?
No identifiers are needed
One identifier
Two identifiers
Three identifiers
The Correct Answer is C
A. No identifiers are needed: Administering medication without verifying the client is unsafe and violates standard nursing practice. Omitting identifiers significantly increases the risk of medication errors and patient harm.
B. One identifier: Using only one identifier is insufficient to ensure accurate patient identification, as it may not reliably distinguish between clients with similar names or demographics. Safety standards require additional verification.
C. Two identifiers: Using two client identifiers—such as full name and date of birth, or medical record number—before medication administration is the standard of care. This practice reduces the risk of errors and ensures that medications are given to the correct client.
D. Three identifiers: While using three identifiers may add extra confirmation, current guidelines from The Joint Commission and most hospital policies recommend two identifiers as the required standard for safe medication administration.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Skip manual checks since barcoding ensures accuracy: Barcoding significantly reduces errors but is not infallible. System errors, mislabeling, or scanning failures can occur, so skipping verification can compromise patient safety.
B. Use the barcoding system only for high-risk medications: Barcoding should be applied to all medications to ensure consistency and safety, not limited to high-risk drugs. Limiting its use increases the potential for errors with routine medications.
C. Rely solely on the barcoding system for verification: While barcoding aids in verification, nurses must also apply clinical judgment and confirm correct patient, medication, dose, route, and timing. Sole reliance on technology can miss errors the system does not detect.
D. Conduct a manual check of the medication with the MAR before administration to ensure the medications match: Performing a manual comparison between the medication and the MAR provides an additional safety layer. This step verifies that the correct drug, dose, and route are administered to the right patient, complementing the barcoding system.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. The chest x-ray should be performed after obtaining consent from the patient's family: While consent may be required for certain procedures, a STAT order indicates urgency and does not delay care for nonemergent consent in standard imaging. Family consent is not a prerequisite in emergency or urgent situations.
B. The chest x-ray should be performed within the next 24 hours: Orders with a 24-hour timeframe are typically labeled as “routine” or “PRN,” not STAT. Waiting up to 24 hours does not meet the urgency implied by STAT.
C. The chest x-ray should be performed during the patient's next scheduled radiology appointment: Scheduling for a routine appointment would delay urgent diagnostic information. STAT orders bypass standard scheduling to prioritize immediate evaluation.
D. The chest x-ray should be performed immediately: STAT indicates that the procedure must be done without delay to assess or address an acute change in the patient’s condition. Immediate performance ensures timely diagnosis and intervention, aligning with the urgency of the order.
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