Problem
Denise, an LPN, works in a nursing home on the 3:00 to 11:00 pm shift. She is instructed to assemble medications to give to her own patients as they eat their evening meal. She is also told that it is the policy of the nursing home that she will also put together all the medications to be distributed in the morning by the LPN who will pass medications at both breakfast and lunch the next day. Denise is told that the reason for doing this is because she will have more time, as the evening shift is not as busy as the morning shift. Denise does not want to object because she really needs the job.
i. What are the potential problems with this policy?
ii. What should Denise do?
iii. If a patient is harmed by receiving the incorrect medicine, who would be charged with the negligence?