Question

The nurse is preparing to administer a client's oral medications. Which action should the nurse take prior to administration?

Assess the client's swallowing ability

Place the client in the supine position

Remove any oxygen delivery devices

Place all tablets into a pill cup together

Answer 1

Before administering oral medications, a nurse must first assess the client's swallowing ability to prevent the risk of aspiration. Other actions mentioned, such as placing the patient in a certain position or organizing pills, come after this crucial safety assessment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct action a nurse should take prior to administering a client's oral medications is to assess the client's swallowing ability. Ensuring the patient has the capability to swallow safely is vital to prevent aspiration, which can lead to serious complications. The other actions mentioned, such as placing the client in the supine position (which might increase the risk of aspiration) or removing oxygen delivery devices, are not standard precautions for oral medication administration. Additionally, while placing all tablets into a pill cup together might be a normal procedure for organizing medication, it's not the first step in the process of medication administration. Prior to this, the nurse would confirm the patient's identity, allergies, and review oral confirmations with the team regarding the surgical site, procedure, and consent if it's applicable to the current care scenario.