A patient tells you that he periodically takes a prescribed medication to relieve arthritis pain.It was prescribed by his health care provider 5 years ago.What is the nurse's most appropriate response?

Question

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Many patients keep unused medications past their expiration date.This presents a potential health hazard because some medications lost their potency after a period of time,and others become toxic.The nurse should inform the patient to discard any unused portion of medication by the stated expiration date.It is potentially unsafe to continue taking an expired medication; therefore,option "b" is not appropriate.It is inappropriate for the nurse to ask the patient's health care provider for a new prescription.Because herbal products are considered dietary supplements in the United States,they are not held to the same level of scrutiny and accountability as medications.Different brands of the same herbal product can have varying levels of potency and purity.It is not appropriate for a nurse to recommend an herbal product in this instance.

A Patient Tells You That He Periodically Takes a Prescribed