A nurse realizes that the wrong medication has been administered to a client. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

A. Fill out an incident report. While completing an incident report is necessary for documentation and quality improvement, it is not the priority action. The nurse must first assess the client's condition to address any immediate risks. B. Report the incident to the nurse manager. Informing the nurse manager is important for accountability and follow-up, but client safety and assessment come first before escalating the issue to management. C. Notify the provider. The provider should be informed after the nurse has assessed the client and gathered relevant data such as vital signs. This allows the provider to make informed decisions about further treatment or monitoring. D. Measure the client's vital signs. Assessing the client is the first priority following a medication error to identify any adverse effects. Vital signs provide immediate data on the client’s physiological status and guide urgent interventions if needed.