During shift change, the night nurse notices that the graduate nurse administered IV dopamine instead of the prescribed norepinephrine for a client with sepsis. What should the night nurse do first?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a medication error occurs, client safety is the nurse's first priority. The nurse should assess the client immediately for any adverse effects and inform the healthcare provider (HCP) (Option C). Before taking any other actions, the nurse must ensure that the client is stable. Following client stabilization, the error should be reported to the appropriate nursing authority (eg, supervisor, manager), and an incident or occurrence report should be filed within 24 hours. (Option A) Prior to administering the correct medication, the HCP should be informed to ensure that the original medication is appropriate in light of the medication error. Additional medications or therapies may be necessary to reverse the effects of the medication given in error. (Option B) Although it is important that the graduate nurse has a chance to learn from the mistake, ensuring client safety is the first priority. An incident report can be filed after the client is stable. (Option D) Discontinuing dopamine without providing another medication for hemodynamic stabilization may harm the client. The nursing supervisor should be informed after client stabilization. Educational objective: Client safety is the first priority when a medication error occurs. The nurse should assess the client and inform the HCP about the error before reporting to nursing management and completing an incident report.

During Shift Change, the Night Nurse Notices That the Graduate