Question

The nurse is preparing to administer a transdermal patch medication and finds that the patient already has the same type of medication patch but with different dates on several areas of his chest. What's the best next step the nurse should take?

a) Remove the patches and inform the physician
b) Apply the new patch next to the old one
c) Apply the new patch over the old one
d) Assess the patient's reasoning for using the patches in this fashion.

Answer 1

When a nurse finds a patient with multiple transdermal patches, the best next step is to remove the old patches and inform the physician to ensure proper dosing and to prevent possible overdose or side effects.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best next step for the nurse when finding multiple transdermal medication patches with different dates on a patient is a) Remove the patches and inform the physician. Having multiple patches can lead to an overdose or other serious side effects, as the medication from the patches enters the bloodstream over a prolonged period. Therefore, it is vital to remove the old patches to ensure proper dosing, to prevent interactions of overlapping medication release, and to avoid skin irritation. Once the old patches are removed, the nurse should document the action, the condition of the skin under the patches, and any other relevant observations. Informing the physician is necessary for further assessment and to adjust the medication orders if needed.