The nurse asks the patient to state his name and birth date,and the patient responds correctly.The nurse then gives the patient the prescribed drug tablet.The patient says "I haven't ever taken a green pill before." What is the nurse's best response?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a patient does not recognize a drug that is being given,it is a "red flag" for a possible error.Even though the drug may be newly ordered or may be made by a different manufacturer than what the patient has had in the past,it is always best to recheck the order,the drug,and the patient before proceeding.Although withholding the drug entirely is not completely wrong,there may be no drug error and this response may frighten the patient unnecessarily.

The Nurse Asks the Patient to State His Name and Birth