A patient is prescribed fluoxetine 20 mg by mouth daily for treatment of depression.The nurse caring for the patient is unfamiliar with this drug.Which action should the nurse take before administering the medication?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Consulting the drug formulary accessible to staff at the patient care unit is the most appropriate action as it contains information about the drug's indications, dosages, routes of administration, side effects, and contraindications. This will enable the nurse to be familiar with the drug before administering it to the patient. Informing the prescriber that the nurse is not comfortable administering the drug or trusting the prescriber who writes the dose without verifying the information is not safe practice. Asking a nursing colleague for relevant information about the drug may be helpful, but the drug formulary is the most reliable source of drug information.

A Patient Is Prescribed Fluoxetine 20 Mg by Mouth Daily