The nurse is having difficulty reading the prescribed dosage on a handwritten order for a pain medication. The most appropriate action to ensure the client's safety and to minimize legal issues is for the nurse to:
1. Ask another RN to confirm the order
2. Request the pharmacist to interpret the order
3. Call the health care provider to clarify the order
4. Consult a current drug book to determine the normal dosage range
ANS: 3
A nurse carrying out an inaccurate or inappropriate order may be legally responsible for any harm suffered by the client. The nurse should clarify the order with the prescriber if unable to read the order. Although asking others to interpret the order may appear prudent, it is ultimately the nurse's responsibility if a medication error is made. Although the drug book may provide a nor-mal range it does not aid in determining definitively what the order intended.
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