In transcribing orders for a patient, the nurse finds a new order for aspirin, 500 mg, QID. The patient has a long history of gastrointestinal bleeding. What is the best nursing action?

Question

a. Give the medication.
b. Withhold the medication and chart why it was not given.
c. Call the physician and question the order in light of the patient's history.
d. Ask if the patient is allergic to aspirin.

Answer 1

C
The nurse should call the physician and question the medication order for aspirin based on the patient's history of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Claims involving medication errors are aug-mented when the nurse fails to recognize side effects or contraindications or fails to know a pa-tient's allergies. The nurse would withhold the medication until the physician is notified and the order clarified. Giving the medication could cause the patient to start bleeding. Although asking for allergies is an important nursing action, the important aspect in this situation in the medical history of GI bleeding.