A nurse has withdrawn a narcotic from the medication dispenser.Upon checking the drug against the medication administration record,the nurse notices that the narcotic order has expired.What should be the nurse's first action?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse should follow Nurse Practice Acts and safe narcotic administration guidelines by safely returning the medication to the secure medication dispenser.This allows for an accurate narcotic count.The nurse should not leave the medication room with a nonprescribed medication; the physician can be contacted once the medication is replaced safely.The nurse cannot administer a medication when there is no current order; this is a violation of the Six Rights of Medication Administration.The nurse should notify the pharmacist after safely returning the narcotic to the medication dispenser; removing the medication from the patient profile will reduce further medication errors.

A Nurse Has Withdrawn a Narcotic from the Medication Dispenser