A health care provider writes an electronic order for a patient to receive 25 mg of a medication by IV administration every 6 hours. When reviewing the order, the nurse notices that the hospital’s pharmacy database does not list a 25 mg dose for this medication, and the available dose is 50 mg. What is the nurse's next best action?
Adjust the 50 mg dose to 25 mg based on clinical judgment.
Contact the prescribing health care provider to clarify the order.
Withhold the medication and notify the pharmacy regarding its availability.
Administer the available dose of 50 mg in the pharmacy.
The correct action is to contact the prescribing health care provider to clarify the order. When there is a discrepancy between the prescribed dose and the available dose, it is the nurse's duty to ensure the accuracy and safety of the medication order before administering it. Administering the available dose of 50 mg without clarification can lead to overdosing and harm to the patient. Adjusting the dose independently without consulting the provider violates medication safety protocols and scope of practice. Withholding the medication and notifying the pharmacy about availability does not address the root issue of clarifying the provider's intent.
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