A prescribed medication is not producing the expected therapeutic effect in an older client. What should the nurse do in response to this finding?
1. Document that the client has not been taking the medication.
2. Discuss changing the medication with the healthcare provider.
3. Ask the client to describe how they take their medications each day.
4. Review the client's current diet and medication list for potential interactions.
3. Ask the client to describe how they take their medications each day.
Explanation: 1. The nurse does not know if the client has not been taking the medication. This is an inappropriate action by the nurse.
2. The nurse needs more information before discussing changing the medication with the healthcare provider.
3. If a medication is not demonstrating the expected therapeutic effect, the nurse should investigate if the client is taking the medication at all. Sometimes clients will stop taking a medication or cut the dose amount or frequency due to cost concerns or unwanted side effects.
4. There is not enough information to support that the lack of therapeutic effect is due to a food-drug interaction.
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