Management of CareQuestion 335 of 2368
A nurse gives half of a prescribed controlled substance dose from a vial. What must be done with the remainder?
- Return it to the vial for the next dose so that none of the drug is wasted
- Discard it in front of another nurse who witnesses and documents it
- Discard it alone and note the amount in the chart as wasted medication
- Keep it in the medication cart for the next shift to use for a later dose
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Correct answer: Discard it in front of another nurse who witnesses and documents it
Wasting a controlled substance requires another nurse witness to document the event. This helps prevent drug diversion.
Source: Nursing Skills, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), Administration of Enteral Medications: Special Considerations for Administering Controlled Substances. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Practice the topic "Management of Care"Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026