RN Infection Control and Patient Safety Related

Review RN Infection Control and Patient Safety related questions and content

The nurse administers digoxin 0.25 \mathrm{mg by mouth rather than the prescribed dose of 0.125 \mathrm{mg to the client. After assessing the client and notifying the health care provider, which action should the nurse implement first?

  • A. Write an incident report.
  • B. Administer digoxin immune Fab.
  • C. Tell the client about the medication error.
  • D. Tell the client about the adverse effects of digoxin.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: According to agency policy, the nurse should file an incident report when a medication error occurs to accurately document the facts. The nurse should assess the client first and then contact the primary health care provider (HCP) because in this situation the client received too much medication. The client should be informed of the error and the adverse effects in a professional manner to avoid alarm and concern. However, in many situations, the HCP prefers to discuss this with the client. Digoxin immune Fab is reserved for extreme toxicity and requires a prescription and may be prescribed depending on the client's response and the serum digoxin level.