A medical-surgical nurse discovers that a client with a history of hypertension mistakenly received another client's prescribed dose of oral metoprolol. Arrange the following nursing actions in the correct sequence from highest to lowest priority.
- 1Assess the client's apical heart rate and blood pressure.
- 2Notify the primary healthcare provider of the incorrect medication administration.
- 3Implement any newly prescribed corrective interventions or monitoring.
- 4Disclose the occurrence of the medication error to the client.
- 5Submit an objective variance report to the risk management department.
Answer
The correct sequence is to first assess the client's vital signs, then notify the healthcare provider, implement any new orders, inform the client of the error, and finally complete the internal incident report.
In the event of a medication error, the absolute first priority is patient safety, which requires immediate physical assessment (vital signs). Armed with this data, the nurse contacts the healthcare provider to report the error and receive corrective orders. Those orders are then implemented. Once the client's safety is managed, ethical disclosure to the client occurs. Finally, an incident report is filed for the facility's risk management protocols, making it the lowest priority.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Nursing priorities following a medication error follow a strict sequence: Assessment, Provider Notification, Corrective Intervention, Client Disclosure, and Administrative Documentation.