Question

Nurse contacts a patient's provider on the telephone to obtain a prescription for pain medication. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A) Contact the local pharmacy
B) Notify the patient's insurance company
C) Contact the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration)
D) Notify the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)

Answer 1

After obtaining a prescription for pain medication from a patient's provider, a nurse should contact the local pharmacy to fill the prescription. The nurse's role does not typically involve contacting the patient's insurance, DEA, or FDA, as the FDA regulates medications and the DEA handles controlled substances, not routine prescription processing.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse contacts a patient's provider to obtain a prescription for pain medication, the appropriate action after speaking with the provider is generally to contact the local pharmacy to fill the prescription. There is usually no need for the nurse to notify the patient's insurance company, the DEA, or the FDA at this stage. The FDA's role is primarily in the regulation of medications to ensure safety and efficacy before they reach the market, not in the routine prescribing process. The DEA would generally be involved only in cases related to controlled substances regulation or enforcement issues. Therefore, the correct action for the nurse would be to contact the local pharmacy with the prescription details.