What is the most appropriate action for a healthcare provider to take when a patient refuses a prescribed medication?

Questions 71

ATI RN

ATI RN Test Bank

ATI Capstone Comprehensive Assessment B Questions

Question 1 of 9

What is the most appropriate action for a healthcare provider to take when a patient refuses a prescribed medication?

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is to respect the patient's right to refuse the medication. It is crucial to uphold the patient's autonomy and decision-making capacity when it comes to their treatment. Administering the medication later without the patient's consent (Choice B) disregards their autonomy and can lead to ethical issues. Documenting the refusal and notifying the healthcare provider (Choice A) is important for legal and continuity of care purposes but should come after respecting the patient's decision. While explaining the importance of the medication (Choice C) is valuable for promoting understanding and compliance, the immediate concern should be respecting the patient's refusal.

Question 2 of 9

A client with a history of falls is under the care of a nurse. Which intervention is most important to implement?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Using bed alarms to prevent falls is the most important intervention to implement for a client with a history of falls. Bed alarms can provide timely alerts to the healthcare team, allowing for quick assistance to prevent falls. Increasing the frequency of bed checks may not necessarily prevent falls as effectively as direct intervention with bed alarms. Keeping the room well lit is important for general safety but may not address the immediate risk of falls. Encouraging the client to use a walker for mobility is beneficial but may not be as crucial as implementing bed alarms to prevent falls in this scenario.

Question 3 of 9

A healthcare provider writes a medication order that seems excessively high for the patient's condition. What is the nurse's first step?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct first step for the nurse when encountering a medication order that appears excessively high for the patient's condition is to hold the medication and consult the provider. Administering the medication immediately (Choice A) without clarification could pose a risk to the patient's safety. Reducing the dose without consulting the provider (Choice C) is not recommended as it may lead to suboptimal treatment. Administering the medication after double-checking with another nurse (Choice D) is not sufficient; consulting the provider directly is crucial to ensure the accuracy and safety of the medication order.

Question 4 of 9

The nurse is caring for a patient with an incision. Which actions will best indicate an understanding of medical and surgical asepsis for a sterile dressing change?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Choice C is the correct answer. When performing a sterile dressing change, it is essential to use clean gloves to remove soiled dressings and sterile gloves and supplies for applying the new dressing. This helps maintain aseptic technique and reduce the risk of introducing pathogens to the wound. Choices A, B, and D involve incorrect use of sterile and clean supplies, which can compromise the sterility of the procedure and increase the risk of infection.

Question 5 of 9

A client is preparing for surgery wearing a necklace. What is the appropriate action?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The appropriate action when a client is wearing a necklace before surgery is to ask the patient for permission to lock it in a safe. This is in line with hospital policy to secure valuables before entering surgery. Choice A is incorrect because simply placing the necklace in a drawer may not be secure. Choice B is incorrect as taping the necklace to the patient's skin can cause skin irritation and is not a standard practice. Choice D is incorrect because the responsibility for securing valuables typically lies with the healthcare team, not the patient's family.

Question 6 of 9

A healthcare professional is preparing to administer an intravenous (IV) medication. What action should the healthcare professional take to ensure patient safety?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Verifying the patient's identity using two identifiers is crucial to ensure the right patient receives the right medication. This process helps prevent medication errors by confirming the patient's identity through at least two unique identifiers, such as name, date of birth, or medical record number. Choice A is not directly related to ensuring patient safety during medication administration. Choice C is incorrect as medications should be prepared in a sterile environment, not just at the healthcare professional's station. Choice D is not a safe practice as medications should be administered at the scheduled time to maintain therapeutic effectiveness.

Question 7 of 9

What is the priority action when a patient is experiencing an allergic reaction to a medication?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to discontinue the medication and notify the healthcare provider when a patient is experiencing an allergic reaction to a medication. This action is crucial to prevent further harm to the patient. Monitoring blood pressure (choice A) or urine output (choice D) may be important but is not the priority when managing an allergic reaction. Administering an antihistamine (choice C) should only be done after discontinuing the medication and consulting with the healthcare provider.

Question 8 of 9

When is removal of the restraints by the nurse appropriate?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. The nurse can safely remove restraints once no aggressive behavior is observed after releasing two extremity restraints for an hour. Choice A is incorrect because the removal of restraints should be based on the client's behavior rather than just the effect of medication. Choice C is incorrect as exploring reasons for aggressive behavior should be done before or during the intervention, not as a condition for removing restraints. Choice D is incorrect since an apology from the client does not guarantee a change in behavior or indicate that it is safe to remove the restraints.

Question 9 of 9

After placing the patient back in bed, what should the nurse do next?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: After placing the patient back in bed, the nurse should notify the health care provider. This is important because the health care provider needs to be informed of the incident and assess the patient further to ensure no underlying injuries or issues exist. Re-assessing the patient is crucial but notifying the health care provider takes precedence in this situation. Completing an incident report is important for documentation purposes but not the immediate next step. Doing nothing is incorrect as there was an incident involving a fall that needs further evaluation.

Access More Questions!

ATI RN Basic


$89/ 30 days

ATI RN Premium


$150/ 90 days