A nurse administers 2 mg of morphine out of a vial containing 4 mg. Which of the following actions should the nurse take with the remaining medication in the vial?

A. A client receives their meal tray 20 minutes late is an inconvenience but does not typically require an incident report unless it results in significant harm or a pattern of delays that affect patient care.
B. A client experiences a seizure is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention and documentation in the client’s medical record, but it does not necessarily require an incident report unless it was caused by an error or unexpected event.
C. A client receives their insulin 1 hour before scheduled is a medication error that requires an incident report. Administering insulin at the wrong time can lead to significant changes in blood glucose levels and potential harm to the client, making it necessary to document the incident and investigate the cause.
D. A client vomits after receiving an oral medication should be documented in the client’s medical record, but it does not typically require an incident report unless it was caused by an error or unexpected event.

A. Inject air into the vial to withdraw the short-acting insulin is the correct procedure. The nurse should first inject air into the NPH vial without drawing up any insulin, then inject air into the short-acting insulin vial and withdraw the required dose. This prevents contamination of the short-acting insulin with NPH insulin.
B. Ensure the NPH insulin is drawn into the syringe first is incorrect. The short-acting insulin should be drawn into the syringe first to avoid contaminating it with NPH insulin.
C. Use two separate syringes to mix the insulin is not necessary. Insulin can be mixed in one syringe as long as the correct procedure is followed.
D. Administer the insulin within 20 minutes of preparing it is not specific to the mixing procedure. Insulin should generally be administered promptly after preparation, but the exact timing can vary.