The nurse has taken a verbal order for a narcotic medication to be giv

The nurse has taken a verbal order for a narcotic medication to be given to a client experiencing severe pain related to metastatic cancer of the bone. The nurse’s initial action regarding the order is to:

1. Prepare the medication for administration to the client
2. Properly sign for the narcotic analgesic in the narcotic records
3. Notify the client that a verbal order for a narcotic pain medication has been re-ceived
4. Write and then sign the complete order in the appropriate location in the client’s chart

ANSWER

ANS: 4
All verbal orders should be converted immediately to writing and signed by the individual re-ceiving the order. While the remaining options are not incorrect, they are not the immediate prior-ity.