A nurse is giving a preoperative client a dose of ranitidine (Zantac). The client asks why the nurse is giving this drug when the client has no history of ulcers. What response by the nurse is best?

Question

a. "All preoperative clients get this medication."
b. "It helps prevent ulcers from the stress of the surgery."
c. "Since you don't have ulcers, I will have to ask."
d. "The physician prescribed this medication for you."

Answer 1

ANS: B
Ulcer prophylaxis is common for clients undergoing long procedures or for whom high stress is likely. The nurse is not being truthful by saying all clients get this medication. If the nurse does not know the information, it is appropriate to find out, but this is a common medication for which the nurse should know the rationale prior to administering it. Simply stating that the physician prescribed the medication does not give the client any useful information.