After a seven day treatment with an IV antibiotic, the healthcare provider discharges a client from the hospital and writes a prescription for an oral antibiotic. While providing discharge instructions, the nurse notes that the dosage for the oral antibiotic is significantly higher than the IV antibiotic. Which resource should the nurse use first in resolving the situation?

A. Nursing unit charge nurse: The charge nurse is a valuable leadership and supervisory resource for issues related to staffing, patient flow, or clinical decision-making on the unit. However, questions related to medication dosing and pharmacologic appropriateness require verification using evidence-based drug information. B. Healthcare provider: The healthcare provider prescribed the medication and may ultimately need to clarify or modify the order if an error is suspected. However, before contacting the provider, the nurse should first verify whether the dosage is actually inappropriate. Oral antibiotic doses are often higher than IV doses due to differences in bioavailability and first-pass metabolism, so confirming standard dosing is necessary before escalating the concern. C. Hospital pharmacist: Pharmacists are medication experts and excellent resources for complex pharmacologic questions, drug interactions, and dosing verification. Nevertheless, the nurse should initially confirm the expected dosage range independently using a reliable reference. Contacting the pharmacist may be appropriate after verifying the order. D. Medication reference guide: The first step in resolving a potential medication discrepancy is to verify the ordered dose using an evidence-based medication reference guide or drug handbook. These resources provide standard dosing ranges, routes of administration, pharmacokinetics, and differences between IV and oral dosing. The nurse can determine whether the dosage is appropriate before contacting the pharmacist or healthcare provider.