Five minutes after assisting a patient with his epinephrine auto-injector, you determine the patient to be getting progressively worse. The patient has a second auto-injector available; however, written protocols do not address the administration of a second dose. Which one of the following should be your next best action?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Contacting medical direction for further orders is the best choice in this situation. The protocols do not address administration of a second dose, so contacting medical direction to obtain further guidance on how to proceed is the safest course of action. This will ensure that proper protocols are followed, and the patient receives the most appropriate care. Administering the second dose without guidance could potentially result in harm to the patient. Requesting ALS assistance may be necessary depending on the severity of the patient's condition, but contacting medical direction should be done first to determine the best course of action. Continuing to monitor the patient is important, but further action is necessary given their worsening condition.

Five Minutes After Assisting a Patient with His Epinephrine Auto-Injector