The nurse admitting an 89-year-old patient to an assisted living facility notes that the patient is currently taking numerous prescribed and over-the-counter medications. The nurses initial intervention is to:

A. While this information can be helpful in understanding the patient's social context, it does not directly contribute to the development of a plan of care.
B. This information is important for understanding the patient's medical history and identifying any potential risk factors. However, a baseline assessment of physical and cognitive functioning is also essential for developing a comprehensive plan of care.
C. This assessment can be helpful in evaluating the patient's cognitive function, but it does not provide a complete picture of their overall physical and functional status.
D. When caring for an older adult in the emergency department, it is crucial to have a baseline understanding of their physical and cognitive functioning. This information will help the nurse assess the patient's current condition and identify any significant changes that may require intervention.

A. Knowing a patient’s history of drug allergies is essential for preventing allergic reactions to medications. Allergic reactions can be severe and include symptoms such as rash, difficulty breathing, or anaphylaxis. While important, assessing for drug allergies alone does not address all aspects of medication safety, such as correct drug administration, dosage, or monitoring for side effects.
B. Educating patients about their medications helps them understand why they are taking them and what side effects to watch for. This can improve adherence to the medication regimen and enable patients to report side effects promptly. Education is important but does not directly prevent medication errors or ensure that medications are administered correctly.
C. Confirming the patient's identity before administering medication is a fundamental safety measure. It helps prevent medication errors, such as administering the wrong medication to the wrong patient. This action alone does not address other aspects of medication administration, such as verifying correct dosage, the timing of administration, or monitoring for adverse effects.
D. The 5 rights of medication administration—right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, and right time—are fundamental principles of safe medication administration. Adhering to these rights helps prevent medication errors and ensures that medications are administered correctly. By consistently applying these principles, the nurse minimizes the risk of errors and enhances patient safety. This approach covers multiple aspects of medication administration, including verifying the correct patient, drug, dose, route, and timing.