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Difficulty: EasyPharmacological Therapies

During morning medication rounds, a practical nurse (PN) approaches an alert and oriented client to give them their daily oral antibiotic. What is the most appropriate action for the PN to take to verify the client's identity prior to administration?

  1. Ask the client to state their full name and date of birth while comparing this information to the identification band and medication administration record.Answer
  2. B
    Ask the client, 'Are you the patient who is scheduled to receive antibiotics today?' and confirm the room number on the door.
  3. C
    Compare the name listed on the medication administration record with the name written on the dry-erase board above the client's bed.
  4. D
    Scan the medication barcode and administer the dose if the electronic health record photo visually matches the client without speaking to them.

Answer

The most appropriate action is to ask the client to explicitly state their full name and date of birth while verifying this against the identification band and official records.
The correct action directly adheres to standard medication administration safety principles. Using two distinct, acceptable patient identifiers (such as full name and date of birth) and having an alert client actively state their information while the nurse cross-references it with the ID band and MAR is the gold standard for preventing medication errors.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the standard protocol for safe medication administration regarding patient identification.
The standard protocol requires the use of at least two acceptable, distinct patient identifiers before administering any medication.
This fundamental safety check prevents medication errors and ensures the right drug goes to the right patient.
2
Evaluate each option based on the criteria for two acceptable identifiers and active client participation.
Asking the client to state their name and date of birth fulfills both criteria safely. The other methods rely on invalid identifiers like room numbers or passive verification.
Active verification (having the client speak their details) combined with official document checks (ID band and MAR) is the most reliable method for an alert client.

Key Concept

Medication Administration Rights: Client Identification
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Topics

Pharmacological Therapies

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