While admitting a patient from home to the skilled nursing facility, the nurse notes that the patient has brought medications that are not included on the primary care provider's medication order sheet. The nurse's best initial action is to:

A. Send the medications home with a family member: This may result in the patient not having access to essential medications.

B. Notify the physician about the medications the patient has been taking. The physician must be informed to evaluate the medications and determine whether they should be added to the current orders. This ensures patient safety and prevents potential adverse drug interactions.

C. Administer the medications with the ordered medications: Unsafe without physician approval, as it may lead to drug interactions.

D. Seal the medications in an envelope and lock it in the medicine cart: This delays action and does not address the patient’s potential need for the medications.

A. Time of death: The time of death is a crucial detail that needs to be accurately documented. It provides an official record of when life ceased and is necessary for legal and medical purposes.

B. Which family members were notified: While it's important to notify family members, documenting the specific individuals who were informed is not required unless it directly affects the care or legal processes.

C. Notification of the mortuary: While the notification of the mortuary is part of the post-death process, it typically falls under hospital procedures and would be documented by other departments. The nurse's role is more focused on clinical documentation at the time of death.

D. Time at which life signs ceased: The cessation of life signs, such as heart rate and respiration, is often recorded, but the time of death is the official documentation required. The time of death is typically used as the legal record.