Prior to administering a newly prescribed medication to a client, which nursing action is indicated?

• A. Assessment
• B. Analysis
• C. Planning
• D. Evaluation

Answer: (B)

Before giving a newly prescribed medication, the essential step is to assess the patient. This means gathering and reviewing information to ensure safety and appropriateness: check for allergies, current medications for potential interactions, vital signs and relevant laboratory results, organ function (such as kidney or liver), pregnancy status if relevant, and the patient’s understanding and history with the medication. This assessment helps determine whether the medication can be given as ordered, whether a dose adjustment is needed, or if you should hold the dose and notify the prescriber. After assessing, you would proceed with planning, then implementation, and finally evaluation of the patient’s response. The other actions—analyzing data to form diagnoses, planning nursing actions, and evaluating outcomes—are steps that come after the initial assessment.