Question

The nurse approaches a group of school-age patients to administer medication to Sam Hart. To identify the correct child, the nurse should:

a. Ask the group, Who is Sam Hart?
b. Call out to the group, Sam Hart?
c. Ask each child, Whats your name?
d. Check the patients identification name band.

Answer 1

d. Check the patient's identification name band. Verifying through the identification name band ensures accurate patient identification, minimizing the risk of errors associated with verbal communication or other indirect methods.

Step-by-step explanation:

In healthcare settings, patient safety is of utmost importance. Checking the patient's identification name band is the most reliable method to ensure that the right medication is administered to the correct individual. The name band typically includes crucial information such as the patient's name, date of birth, and sometimes a unique identifier.

This method minimizes the risk of medication errors and ensures that the nurse administers the medication to the intended recipient. Asking the group who Sam Hart is (option a) may lead to confusion, as multiple children might respond, and relying on verbal communication in a group setting increases the likelihood of errors. Calling out the name (option b) might result in the wrong child responding or others mistakenly acknowledging the name.

Asking each child their name (option c) can be time-consuming and is less efficient than directly verifying the patient's identity through the identification name band. Therefore, checking the patient's identification name band is the most direct and accurate approach to confirm the patient's identity before administering medication.