A nurse from the adult medical unit is pulled to the geriatric unit. The nurse notes that many of the common medications provided are in lower doses than typically prescribed. What action by the nurse is the highest priority?

A. Notify the charge nurse that patients may have received inappropriate medication dosages. Jumping to conclusions about inappropriate dosages without first investigating the rationale for the dosing is premature and could cause unnecessary alarm. B. Evaluate the laboratory values of each patient to determine liver and kidney function as a possible reason for decreased dosages. Lower dosages are often prescribed for older adults due to decreased liver and kidney function, which can affect drug metabolism and excretion. Evaluating lab values ensures that these dosages are appropriate and safe. C. Do not worry about the discrepancy because this is not the nurse's unit. Ignoring the discrepancy is not appropriate, as it’s important for all nurses to advocate for patient safety, regardless of the unit. D. Call the nursing supervisor to investigate the nurse's concerns. The nursing supervisor may need to be involved, but the first step is to review the relevant clinical data (lab values) to assess the situation.