Chapter 5, Problem 1CS

(1)

Summary Introduction

To determine:

If a student nurse can give the medication now as ordered. Why or why not?

(The student nurse has decided to verify the medication order in the record of the patient. The physician has ordered 200 mcg of Sandostatin (octreotide), now, subcutaneously and 100 mcg every 8 hours as required. The student nurse will not be allowed to give the injection before the verification of the medication ampules by the instructor. The student nurse then reads the order. She checks the dosage (printed) of the ampule and it is given as 500 mcg/mL)

Case summary:

A staff nurse assigned to the patient of a student nurse comes and asks whether she “would like to give the injection”. The staff nurse has received an order for Sandostatin (octreotide) 200 mcg (subcutaneous injection). The staff nurse has already drawn up 200 mcg. She tells the student nurse that the medication has to be given immediately. She hands a syringe over to the student nurse, containing 2 mL of a clear fluid in it.

(2)

Summary Introduction

To determine:

How much Sandostatin (octreotide) is present in the syringe, if the nurse drew up 2 mL from two ampules. How this amount of medication can be compared with the one given in the order.

In the given scenario, the student nurse finds that the ampules contains 500 mcg/mL. The staff nurse is surprised and immediately rushes into the medication dispenser. There, she observes two identical boxes. One box contains 100 mcg/mL and the other one is 500 mcg/mL. Soon, she realizes that she has drawn up an incorrect dose of the drug from the ampules of 500 mcg/mL.

Case summary:

A staff nurse assigned to the patient of a student nurse comes and asks whether she “would like to give the injection”. The staff nurse has received an order for Sandostatin (octreotide) 200 mcg (subcutaneous injection). The staff nurse has already drawn up 200 mcg. She tells the student nurse that the medication has to be given immediately. She hands a syringe over, containing 2 mL of a clear fluid in it to the student nurse.

(3)

Summary Introduction

To determine:

What would have happened if the student nurse had given the injection?

Case summary:

A staff nurse assigned to the patient of a student nurse comes and asks whether she “would like to give the injection”. The staff nurse has received an order for Sandostatin (octreotide) 200 mcg (subcutaneous injection). The staff nurse has already drawn up 200 mcg. She tells the student nurse that the medication has to be given immediately. She hands a syringe over, containing 2 mL of a clear fluid in it to the student nurse.

(4)

Summary Introduction

To determine:

What needs to be done at this point? What contributed to this potential medication error, and how can it be prevented in the future?

Case summary:

A staff nurse assigned to the patient of a student nurse comes and asks whether she “would like to give the injection”. The staff nurse has received an order for Sandostatin (octreotide) 200 mcg (subcutaneous injection). The staff nurse has already drawn up 200 mcg. She tells the student nurse that the medication has to be given immediately. She hands a syringe over that contains 2 mL of a clear fluid in it to the student nurse.