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Difficulty: EasyAccident, Error, and Injury Prevention

A practical nurse is preparing to administer scheduled medications to a newly admitted client. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to prevent a medication administration error?

  1. Ask the client to state their full name and date of birth.Answer
  2. B
    Compare the client's room and bed number to the medication administration record.
  3. C
    Administer the medication based on recognizing the client from a previous shift.
  4. D
    Ask the client's visiting neighbor to confirm the client's identity.

Answer

Ask the client to state their full name and date of birth.
To prevent medication errors, the nurse must always verify at least two distinct patient identifiers before administration. Asking the client to state their full name and date of birth is an active, reliable method that complies with established patient safety goals.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary goal of the clinical scenario.
The goal is to safely administer medication by ensuring it is given to the correct client.
Correct patient identification is the critical first step in the 'rights of medication administration'.
2
Evaluate the safety and validity of the proposed identification methods.
Acceptable identifiers are specific to the individual, such as full name and date of birth.
Location-based identifiers (like room number) or subjective methods (like visual recognition) are highly prone to error.
3
Select the option that utilizes approved client identifiers.
Asking the client to state their full name and date of birth meets national patient safety standards.
This method uses two distinct, reliable pieces of information to actively verify identity before administration.

Key Concept

Rights of Medication Administration: Client Identification
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Topics

Accident, Error, and Injury Prevention

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