Question 1
A nurse discovers that the wrong medication was given to a confused client who answered to the name the nurse stated when entering the room. The provider is notified and reports that the medication the client received will not cause any harm. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
- A. Complete an incident report documenting the occurrence
- B. Counsel the client about the error
- C. Adjust the medication schedule
- D. Ignore the error since no harm occurred
Show answer and rationale
Correct answer: A — Complete an incident report documenting the occurrence
Even when a medication error causes no harm, completing an incident report is essential for quality improvement and risk management. Documenting the occurrence where a confused client received the wrong drug due to misidentification allows analysis of contributing factors, like inadequate verification processes, to prevent future errors. This aligns with healthcare's emphasis on learning from near-misses, enhancing safety protocols statistically tracked via such reports. Counseling the client may not be appropriate given their confusion, risking distress without benefit. Adjusting the schedule doesn't address the error's root cause, and ignoring it dismisses the opportunity to improve practice. The incident report ensures accountability, supports systemic fixes, and upholds professional standards, even in a no-harm scenario.