Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 70%
Simulated
A nurse realizes that they failed to administer a medication that was due 4 hr ago to a client. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
The correct action for the nurse to take first is to assess the client for adverse reactions (Choice A). This is important because the nurse needs to ensure the client's safety and well-being after missing a medication dose. By assessing for adverse reactions, the nurse can promptly identify any potential harm caused by the missed dose and take appropriate action.
Choice B, determining factors that led to the omission, can be addressed after assessing the client to ensure immediate safety. Choice C, filing an incident report, and Choice D, reporting the missed dosage to the client's provider, can be done after ensuring the client's immediate well-being.
In summary, assessing the client for adverse reactions is the priority as it directly addresses the immediate health impact of the missed medication dose.
Choice B, determining factors that led to the omission, can be addressed after assessing the client to ensure immediate safety. Choice C, filing an incident report, and Choice D, reporting the missed dosage to the client's provider, can be done after ensuring the client's immediate well-being.
In summary, assessing the client for adverse reactions is the priority as it directly addresses the immediate health impact of the missed medication dose.