Question

A nurse is preparing to administer meperidine 80 mg IM from a 100 mg prefilled syringe. After the injection, which of the following is an appropriate action by the nurse?

A. return the unused portion to the pharmacy
B. have another nurse witness the disposal of the excess medication
C. place the syringe with the unused portion in a locked medication drawer
D. discard the unused medication in the sharps container

Answer 1

The appropriate action by the nurse is to discard the unused medication in the sharps container.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the given scenario, the nurse should choose option D, which is to discard the unused medication in the sharps container. It is not appropriate to return the unused portion to the pharmacy as it could potentially be contaminated. Having another nurse witness the disposal of the excess medication is also unnecessary. Placing the syringe with the unused portion in a locked medication drawer is not recommended because it can create confusion and increase the risk of medication errors.