A nurse has a student shadowing them today, and is preparing to administer medications. The nurse pulls the medications and delegates to the student to take the medications and administer them to the patient in 302A. The student understands correct medication administration by politely explaining to the nurse they know they should not administer any medications they did not pull themselves. Is this statement made by the student true or false?

A. Giving the medication in the morning.: Administering extended-release medication in the morning is generally acceptable unless otherwise specified. The timing depends on the drug’s purpose and effect duration, but morning administration does not interfere with the medication’s release mechanism.

B. Crushing the tablet and mixing with applesauce.: Extended-release tablets are designed to release medication gradually over time. Crushing or breaking them destroys the controlled-release coating, causing the entire dose to be absorbed rapidly, which increases the risk of toxicity and adverse effects.

C. Giving the medication with their other scheduled medications.: Extended-release tablets can usually be given alongside other prescribed medications unless there are known drug interactions. This practice does not affect the tablet’s slow-release mechanism or absorption profile.

D. Administering the tablet with water.: Taking an extended-release tablet with water is appropriate and ensures adequate swallowing and absorption. Water does not interfere with the extended-release properties of the medication.

A. "Just ask the charge nurse to administer this medication.": Delegating the task to another nurse does not address the safety issue of administering a medication prepared by someone else. The priority is to ensure accountability and proper verification by the person who prepared the drug.

B. "I'll help the other client while you administer the medication that you have prepared.": Nurses must never administer a medication prepared by another person. The nurse who prepared the medication is responsible for verifying the correct patient, dose, and administration process to prevent medication errors and ensure patient safety.

C. "I'll go and give the medication to the client now.": Administering a medication prepared by another nurse violates safety protocols and professional standards. The nurse cannot verify preparation accuracy and could be held accountable if an error or adverse event occurs.

D. "Go with me to verify the client's identity properly, and then I'll give the medication to you.": Even with joint verification, the nurse should not administer a drug they did not prepare. Accountability lies with the person who drew up the medication.