NCLEX: A 39-year-old client in the emergency department is being evaluated for a busy medical-surgical assignment. Asses…

Ethics, legal nursing, delegation, prioritization Management of Care

Case Study

A 39-year-old client in the emergency department is being evaluated for a busy medical-surgical assignment. Assessment data include provider order for a medication the client is allergic to on the chart. Which finding requires the nurse to intervene immediately?

Question

A. The new finding that provider order for a medication the client is allergic to on the chart.
B. A stable, long-standing finding that matches the expected care plan.
C. A comfort request with unchanged vital signs and no new symptoms.
D. Routine data unchanged from the prior assessment.

Rationale

Correct answer: A. The new finding that provider order for a medication the client is allergic to on the chart.

Rationale: Follow-up items test whether the nurse recognizes cues that are new, acute, or inconsistent with stability and need prompt nursing action.

Hint: Apply ABCs, client stability, and NCSBN clinical judgment steps before choosing an intervention.

Level: Advanced

Difficulty: Hard

Subtopic: Delegation rules