interview question

[srn.kitty]

Hi,

I just graduated from nursing school in Dec 2010.

Now, I am looking for new grad jobs.

One of my classmates went to an interview and got this question.

If the Dr. prescribes a medication to your patient, but it is over the safe dosage. What would you do?

I would say hold the medication and verify with the Dr. first.

Am I on the right track? Or should I talk to the charge nurse first, then the Dr?

Any advices may help. Thanks

[ckh23, BSN, RN]

That sounds about right. If it's not then I don't know what answer they are looking for.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

I don't think you'd go to your charge nurse unless the doctor verified that that was the correct dose but you were still feeling uncomfortable giving it. I verify orders all the time with the doctors directly- sometimes they're written unclearly, sometimes there's a mistake, sometimes the order stands and it's just an unusual order.

[srn.kitty]

I don't think you'd go to your charge nurse unless the doctor verified that that was the correct dose but you were still feeling uncomfortable giving it. I verify orders all the time with the doctors directly- sometimes they're written unclearly, sometimes there's a mistake, sometimes the order stands and it's just an unusual order.

thanks for the reply. so, when you said.. "sometimes the order stands and it's just an unusual order." when that happens, what do you do? thanks

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

thanks for the reply. so, when you said.. "sometimes the order stands and it's just an unusual order." when that happens, what do you do? thanks

If the order is confirmed give the med. If you're still not comfortable with the order, that's when I'd involve the charge nurse.

[solneeshka, BSN, RN]

The interviewer's point was, "Would you go ahead and give a medication even if the ordered dose was outside of the normal range?" Any answer that says "No" is a correct answer, and the best one is to verify with the MD. If it was indeed that intended dose, then it would be good to have the order modified with a description that explains the dose, or to add a nursing communication order that explains the dose. That way the MD isn't getting called by every RN who has to give the med. And I would check with a charge nurse or pharmacy so someone like that to get a sanity check on the MD's explanation. (Some of our charge nurses have 6 months of experience, which is why I might go to pharmacy instead...)