The nurse reads the following medication order: "Give 7.0 mg of Drug A now IM." The nurse asks the physician to clarify the dose. Select the statement that supports the nurse's action. "IM" should be written as "intramuscular" in the order. The ordered dose is not appropriate for the patient. The written order has a trailing zero. The quantity of Drug A to be given needs to be written. Nex

The nurse's action to seek clarification is supported by the presence of a **trailing zero** in the medication order. Trailing zeros can lead to significant medication errors, such as misinterpretation of the dosage (e.g., "7.0 mg" could be mistakenly read as "70 mg"). To enhance clarity and reduce the risk of errors, it's essential to avoid unnecessary trailing zeros in medication orders. **Correct Statement:** - **The written order has a trailing zero.** **Explanation:** - **Trailing Zeroes:** In medication dosing, trailing zeros can be misinterpreted, leading to potential dosage errors. For example, "7.0 mg" might be mistakenly read as "70 mg," which could have serious implications for patient safety. - **Best Practices:** To minimize errors, it's recommended to write whole numbers without unnecessary decimal points unless a precise dose is required (e.g., 7 mg instead of 7.0 mg). **Incorrect Options:** - **"IM" should be written as "intramuscular":** While spelling out abbreviations can sometimes improve clarity, the primary concern here is the dosage. - **The ordered dose is not appropriate for the patient:** There's no information provided to suggest the dose is inappropriate. - **The quantity of Drug A to be given needs to be written:** The dose is already specified as 7.0 mg, so this is not the main issue. **Reference for Best Practices:** - The "Trailing Zero" rule is a standard safety practice in healthcare to prevent dosage errors. Healthcare providers are encouraged to write doses without trailing zeros unless absolutely necessary. **Final Answer:** The written order has a trailing zero.