Question

A nurse in an outpatient surgical center is admitting a client for a laproscopic procedure. The client has a prescription for preoperative diazepam (Valium). Prior to administering the med, which of the following actions is the highest priority?

A. Teaching the client about the purpose of the med
B. Administering the med to the client at the prescribed time
C. Identifying the client's med allergies
D. Documenting the client's anxiety level

Answer 1

The highest priority action before administering preoperative diazepam is identifying the client's med allergies.

Step-by-step explanation:

The highest priority action that the nurse should take prior to administering preoperative diazepam (Valium) is C. Identifying the client's med allergies. It is crucial to identify any allergies that the client may have to prevent an allergic reaction from the medication. This information is essential for the client's safety. Once the allergies have been identified, the nurse can then administer the medication as prescribed and proceed with other actions.

Teaching the client about the purpose of the medication (A. Teaching the client about the purpose of the med) can be done after verifying allergies and administering the medication. Administering the medication (B. Administering the med to the client at the prescribed time) can be done once the allergies have been identified. Documenting the client's anxiety level (D. Documenting the client's anxiety level) is important but is not the highest priority compared to ensuring the client's safety by identifying allergies.