Which of the following steps is NOT recommended when a medication dose appears inappropriately high or out of range?

• A. Immediately stop the dose
• B. Alert the care team
• C. Ignore the dose if the clinician is busy
• D. Consult the pharmacist

Answer: (C)

When a medication dose looks inappropriately high, safety depends on acting quickly to contain potential harm and verify the order. The right approach is to stop administering the dose immediately if it’s safe to do so, and then promptly alert the care team so clinicians can assess the patient and decide on next steps. Consulting the pharmacist is also important to confirm the correct dose, reviewing the dosing rationale, interval, and any needed adjustments or antidotes, and to check for interactions or documentation errors. Ignoring the dose because the clinician is busy is not acceptable; it can allow an overdose to continue and put the patient at real risk. After taking action, monitor the patient closely, review the medication administration record, and document what happened and what was done.