A nurse on a medical-surgical unit realizes that a client has inadvertently received the wrong medication. Arrange the following nursing actions in the correct priority order, from first to last.
- 1Assess the client for adverse reactions and obtain vital signs.
- 2Notify the primary healthcare provider about the medication error.
- 3Implement any new orders prescribed by the provider.
- 4Complete an objective facility incident report.
Answer
The correct sequence is to first assess the client, then notify the healthcare provider, implement any new orders, and finally complete the incident report.
When a medication error occurs, the nurse's absolute first priority is client safety. According to the nursing process, the nurse must assess the client and obtain vital signs before taking any other action. Once the client's physiological condition is known, the nurse contacts the healthcare provider with the pertinent assessment data. After receiving and implementing any new orders from the provider to stabilize or treat the client, the nurse completes the facility incident report as a final administrative step.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Prioritization of Care and Error Management