Question

A client with cancer is admitted to a short-term rehabilitation facility. The nurse prepares to administer the client's oral chemotherapy medications. What action by the nurse is most appropriate?

a. Crush the medications if the client cannot swallow them
b. Give one medication at a time with a full glass of water
c. No special precautions are needed for these medications
d. Wear personal protective equipment when handling the medications

Answer 1

The nurse should wear personal protective equipment when administering oral chemotherapy medications, as these drugs are cytotoxic and can harm healthy cells on contact.

Step-by-step explanation:

A client with cancer is admitted to a short-term rehabilitation facility for oral chemotherapy medication administration. The nurse must follow specific precautions when handling these medications. The most appropriate action for the nurse in this scenario is to wear personal protective equipment when handling the medications. This is because chemotherapy drugs can be harmful upon contact, as they are designed to target and kill rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells, but can also affect healthy cells in the process. Crushing the medication is not advisable as it can lead to exposure to the drug and is also potentially unsafe if the medication's design is not intended for crushing. Special precautionary measures are always needed with chemotherapy medications due to their cytotoxic nature.