Question

You are caring for a patient and pour out his evening risperidone (Risperdal) 2 mg tablet. The pill falls on the countertop. What is your next intervention?

1) Pick the pill up from the counter and place it in a cup.
2) Wash the pill off with alcohol and place it in a cup.
3) Discard the pill and repour the medication.
4) Call the patient up to the pill line to receive his medication.

Answer 1

When a risperidone tablet is dropped on a countertop, it should be discarded and a new one should be poured to avoid contamination and ensure patient safety.

Step-by-step explanation:

If you are caring for a patient and drop a risperidone (Risperdal) 2 mg tablet on the countertop, the appropriate next intervention is to discard the pill and repour the medication. This is to ensure the medication remains uncontaminated as the countertop may not be sterile, and putting the medication back into a cup after it has fallen could lead to patient harm due to potential contamination with pathogens or chemicals present on the surface. Furthermore, cleaning medication with alcohol or water can alter its properties and is not an advisable practice.