A nurse is reviewing the medication administration record on four clients. The nurse should identify that which of the following prescriptions requires further clarification?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Morphine 4 mg IV q4h prn pain rating of 7 to 10: This prescription is clear and appropriate for pain management. It specifies the correct dosage of morphine (4 mg) to be administered every 4 hours as needed, and it is based on a pain rating scale of 7 to 10, which is standard practice for administering opioids for severe pain. No further clarification is needed here. B. Zolpidem 5 mg PO qhs prn insomnia: Zolpidem is typically prescribed for short-term use in treating insomnia, usually for no more than 7-10 days. Prescribing it "prn" (as needed) for insomnia is problematic because insomnia often requires regular use for effective treatment, rather than on an as-needed basis. This requires clarification as the prescription doesn’t align with typical use guidelines for zolpidem. C. Carbidopa 25 mg/levodopa 100 mg PO 3 times daily: This prescription is appropriate for managing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Carbidopa/levodopa is commonly prescribed in combination to help control motor symptoms. The dosage and frequency (3 times daily) are consistent with typical treatment regimens for Parkinson’s disease. D. Carbamazepine 200 mg PO 2 times daily: This prescription is correct for carbamazepine, which is often used to treat seizure disorders and certain types of neuralgia. The prescribed dose and frequency (200 mg twice daily) are within standard dosage recommendations for this medication. No clarification is needed here.