For which situation should a nurse complete an incident report when administering medications?

Completing an incident report is necessary when the nurse administered insulin lispro to a client who is NPO (nothing by mouth) because this action poses a significant risk to the patient’s safety. Insulin lispro is a rapid-acting insulin that is intended to be administered in conjunction with food intake to effectively manage blood sugar levels. Administering it to a client who cannot consume food (NPO) may result in hypoglycemia, which is a potentially life-threatening condition. An incident report serves to document this error, allowing for further investigation into how the situation occurred and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Other scenarios, while also concerning, may not necessarily warrant an incident report. Administering a dose at the wrong time or documenting medication administration late, for instance, may be errors but do not typically have the immediate potential for severe harm associated with the administration of insulin in a patient who is NPO. Forgetting to check the client’s allergies is important but may be addressed through different means, such as nursing education or reviewing protocols, rather than necessitating the immediate filing of an incident report. In contrast, the direct risk presented in scenario B makes it crucial to document the occurrence formally.