Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 91%
Simulated
The nurse is preparing a medication for a client and observes the date of expiration on the vial occurred 2 months ago. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
The correct answer is A: Return the medication to the pharmacy. Expired medications may lose their potency or become ineffective, potentially causing harm to the client. By returning the medication to the pharmacy, the nurse ensures that the client receives a safe and effective medication.
B: Notifying the provider may be necessary, but the immediate action should be to return the expired medication.
C: Giving the medication is unsafe and goes against best practice.
D: Discarding the medication is acceptable, but returning it to the pharmacy ensures proper disposal and replacement.
B: Notifying the provider may be necessary, but the immediate action should be to return the expired medication.
C: Giving the medication is unsafe and goes against best practice.
D: Discarding the medication is acceptable, but returning it to the pharmacy ensures proper disposal and replacement.