The nurse manager conducts regular audits of patient care medication records and notices that the amount of narcotic pain medications administered during the evening shift on a postsurgical unit is higher than usual. Which action should the nurse manager take first?
Conduct a closer examination of staff nurse's distribution of pain medication from evening shift.
Hold a mandatory staff meeting to discuss the findings of documentation audits from every shift.
Question clients about effectiveness of pain medication.
Discuss with healthcare provider a plan to change client analgesia.
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A rationale: Conducting a closer examination of staff nurses' distribution of pain medication is the first step to identify any issues or patterns contributing to the higher than-usual administration of narcotic pain medications.
Choice B rationale: Holding a mandatory staff meeting may be necessary, but a focused examination should precede broader discussions.
Choice C rationale: Questioning clients about the effectiveness of pain medication is an important aspect of the investigation but should follow a thorough examination of medication distribution.
Choice D rationale: Discussing with the healthcare provider about changing client analgesia may be considered later based on the findings of the examination.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A rationale: Waiting until 0830 and administering the aspirin would not address the client's immediate need for pain relief.
Choice B rationale: Obtaining a prescription for a PRN analgesic is the most appropriate action to provide the client with effective pain relief.
Choice C rationale: Assessing the client's prothrombin time (PT)/international normalized ratio (INR) is not necessary in this context and does not address the immediate pain concern.
Choice D rationale: Administering the prescribed daily aspirin now would not address the client’s lower back pain at the moment.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale: Administering two medications to the same client at the wrong time is a serious error, but it may not be the most critical issue for reporting to the Peer Review Committee (PRC).
Choice B rationale: Changing work assignments without prior approval may be a workplace issue but does not directly endanger patient safety, so it may not be the primary focus of the PRC.
Choice C rationale: Serving a diet tray to a client who is NPO is a serious error that can lead to complications and warrants reporting to the PRC.
Choice D rationale: Documenting data in the clinical record before assessing the client's condition may indicate a documentation error, but it does not pose an immediate risk to the patient's well-being.
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