Which intervention is most important for the nurse to implement before leaving a postoperative client with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) alone?

Choice A rationale
Double-checking all dosage calculations is a crucial step in preventing medication errors. This process involves verifying the calculations to ensure the correct dose is administered.
However, while important, it is not the most effective technique on its own. It must be combined with other strategies to ensure comprehensive error prevention.
Choice B rationale
Identifying unusually large or small doses is essential in preventing medication errors. This involves recognizing doses that fall outside the typical range for a given medication and patient population. However, this technique alone does not address other potential errors, such as patient misidentification or incorrect medication administration.
Choice C rationale
Comparing the medication label to the order is a fundamental step in preventing medication errors. This process ensures that the correct medication is being administered as per the physician’s order. However, this technique alone does not address other potential errors, such as incorrect dosage calculations or patient misidentification.
Choice D rationale

Using at least two client identifiers before administering a dose is the most effective technique in preventing medication errors. This process ensures that the correct patient is receiving the correct medication. It addresses the critical issue of patient misidentification, which is a common cause of medication errors. By confirming the patient’s identity using two identifiers, such as name and date of birth, the risk of administering medication to the wrong patient is significantly reduced.
Choice E rationale
Involving and educating clients in medication administration is an important strategy in preventing medication errors. Educated clients are more likely to understand their medication regimen and recognize potential errors. However, this technique alone does not address other potential errors, such as incorrect dosage calculations or patient misidentification.
Choice F rationale
Documenting all medication in the electronic record as soon as it is given is a crucial step in preventing medication errors. This process ensures that there is an accurate and up-to-date record of all medications administered. However, this technique alone does not address other potential errors, such as incorrect dosage calculations or patient misidentification.

Choice A rationale
Providing a numeric pain scale helps quantify the intensity of pain but does not assess the quality of the pain. Quality refers to the characteristics and nature of the pain, which cannot be captured by a numeric scale alone.
Choice B rationale
Asking the client to describe the pain is the best approach to assess the quality of the pain. This allows the client to provide detailed information about the pain’s characteristics, such as its nature, location, and any associated symptoms.
Choice C rationale
Observing body language and movement can provide clues about pain but does not give a comprehensive understanding of the pain’s quality. Nonverbal cues are helpful but should be supplemented with the client’s verbal description.
Choice D rationale
Identifying effective pain relief measures is important for pain management but does not directly assess the quality of the pain. This step comes after understanding the pain’s characteristics.