A nurse is caring for a client who is scheduled for surgery. While the nurse is witnessing the client's signature, the client states, "I trust my doctor, but I don't understand what is meant by resecting my intestines."

Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Ask a second nurse to record her signature when wasting any unused portion of the controlled substance.
This is because if a controlled substance is wasted, this waste must be witnessed by and documented by the wasting nurse and another nurse.
Choice A is wrong because the count total of the controlled substance should be verified before removing the amount needed, not after.
Choice B is wrong because the wasted portion of the controlled substance should not be placed in the sharps container.
It should be disposed of according to facility/agency policy.
Choice C is wrong because any discrepancy in the count total of the controlled substance should be reported immediately, not after administration 1.

A.When mixing insulins, you should draw the short-acting insulin into the syringe first. This is done after injecting air into both vials (first into intermediate-acting, then into short-acting). Drawing intermediate-acting insulin first can contaminate the short-acting insulin vial with the longer-acting solution, which could alter the effectiveness of future doses.

B.Although this step is required when mixing insulins, it is not the first step. The nurse should first inject air into both vials to maintain vial pressure.

C.The nurse should inject air into the intermediate-acting insulin vial first because it helps prevent contamination and maintains the correct pressure within the vial. Intermediate-acting insulin, typically NPH (Neutral Protamine Hagedorn), is cloudy, and air injection into the vial allows for easy withdrawal later on without disrupting the order of mixing.

D.Injecting air into the short-acting insulin vial is necessary but should be done after injecting air into the intermediate-acting vial. By injecting air into both vials first, the nurse prevents a vacuum effect, which can make it difficult to draw up the insulin. After injecting air, the nurse can draw the short-acting insulin into the syringe before moving to the intermediate-acting insulin. This order minimizes the risk of contamination.