An order written by the physician is reviewed by the nursing staff, and no one is familiar with the treatment instructions. A nurse who is recently hired knows that this treatment is covered by the states nurse practice act.

What is the nurses’ best course of action?

In this situation, the patient is expressing a lack of understanding and confusion about their medication. The therapeutic communication technique that would be most helpful is giving information, which involves providing the patient with accurate and clear information about their medication, its purpose, and the benefits of taking it.

Option a, "Ask for what you need," may not be effective in this situation because the patient has already expressed what they need, which is information about their medication.

Option c, "Silence," would not be helpful because the patient is seeking information and support.

Option d, "Using general leads," involves using open-ended statements or questions to encourage the patient to share more information, but it may not address the patient's primary concern of not understanding their medication.

The first and most important step that the nurse should take is to report the medication error immediately to the nurse manager or supervisor. Medication errors can have serious consequences for patients and it is important to take immediate action to address the situation. Reporting the error to the supervisor will allow for a timely assessment of the patient's condition and any necessary interventions.

Telling the patient or a co-worker about the error is not the first step the nurse should take. It is important to first ensure that the error is reported to the appropriate person who can take action to address the situation. If there is no adverse effect on the patient, it is still important to report the error to prevent any potential harm in the future. Ignoring the error or not reporting it is not an appropriate response and can have serious consequences for the patient's safety.