An older patient who reports a 2- to 3-year history of upper gastrointestinal (GI)symptoms will begin taking ranitidine (Zantac)to treat this disorder.The patient has completed a health history form.The nurse notes that the patient answered "no" when asked if any medications were being taken.Which action will the nurse take next?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Many patients do not think of OTC products as medications and often do not list them when asked about medication use.A patient who takes ranitidine along with an OTC antacid could be duplicating medications.A dietary history is important as well but would not be the most important action in this case.The nurse should not recommend antacid tablets or high-potassium foods.

An Older Patient Who Reports a 2- to 3-Year History