What is the nurse's priority action to protect a patient from medication error?

ANS: A
Verbal orders should be limited to urgent situations where written communication is unavailable. The nurse should explain the reasons and logistics of a procedure to calm anxious family members, and should ask family members not to distract medication administration for the patient's safety. After proper education, if the family members are creating an unsafe environment, the nurse may ask them to step out of the room. The medication administration record should be checked against the patient's hospital identification band; a room number is not an acceptable identifier. Medications should be given when scheduled, and medications with special assessment indications should be separated.