A community health nurse is performing a home health admissions assessment with a client. The client reports being unable to obtain their prescriptions. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Rationale: A. Notify the client’s family member regarding their inability to obtain prescriptions: Involving family members can be helpful later, but the nurse must first understand why the client cannot obtain medications before deciding whether family assistance is necessary. B. Call the local pharmacist on behalf of the client: Contacting the pharmacist may help resolve access issues such as refills or delivery, but this step is premature without identifying the specific barriers that prevent the client from getting medications. C. Assess the barriers to the client’s ability to obtain prescriptions: The first action is assessment to determine the root cause of the problem. Barriers may include lack of transportation, financial hardship, limited mobility, or misunderstanding of the prescription process. Once the cause is identified, appropriate interventions or referrals can be made. D. Initiate a referral to a social worker: A social worker can assist with financial or community resources, but the nurse should first gather assessment data to provide accurate information for an effective referral.