| Course | NU298 Capstone |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 9 |
| Paper type | Discussion board post with reply |
| Length | About 460 words, 2 pages double-spaced |
| Format | APA 7 discussion post |
| School | Purdue University Global |
| Program | BSN (prelicensure) |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for NU298 Unit 9
"Just Give Forty of Potassium, I Have to Go": A Discussion Post Weighing Whether a Composite New Nurse Should Act on a Rushed Telephone Order She Could Not Read Back, Refuse It or Hold It Until It Is Clarified
NU298 · Unit 9 Discussion Board Post
Posted by [Student Name]
The scenario is composite; verbal and telephone order rules differ by facility and state, and the post describes general principles rather than any facility's policy.
Initial Post
For this week's question about accountability as a new nurse, here is a composite scenario. At [0200], [Nurse T.], six weeks into her first job, calls the covering provider about a patient's potassium of [3.1]. The provider says, "Just give forty of potassium, I have to go," and hangs up before she can read the order back. She does not know whether he meant oral or IV, or over what time; IV potassium given too fast can cause fatal rhythms.
She has three choices. She could give 40 mEq by mouth, the most common route, and assume that is what he meant. She could refuse to act on the order at all. Or she could hold the dose and call back to clarify.
An order she cannot read back is not an order she can safely carry out, however clear it seemed to the person who gave it.
I would defend the third. Verbal and telephone orders are a known source of error, which is why hospital policies require the receiver to write the order down and read it back to the prescriber for confirmation (Wakefield et al., 2012). Despite electronic ordering, verbal orders persist, read-back is not consistently done, and errors continue (Shastay, 2019). Guessing the route is the riskiest choice. Refusing outright leaves the low potassium untreated. Holding and calling back treats the patient and keeps the order safe.
Accountability sits with her: she will be the one giving the drug, and "the provider said so" does not cover an order she did not confirm. If the provider does not answer within [15] minutes, she can call again, then involve the charge nurse, and if still unresolved, use the facility's escalation path to the next provider. While waiting, she can recheck the potassium and watch the monitor.
For everyone: when a provider on your units pushed back on read-back, what did your nurse do next?
Reply to [Classmate L.]
[Classmate L.], you said she should give it by mouth because "forty" almost always means oral. That's probably true, but "almost always" is the problem; if she is wrong once, the patient pays. A two-minute callback costs far less than the one time the guess is wrong. I would also chart the attempt to read back, so the gap is visible.
References
Shastay, A. (2019). Despite technology, verbal orders persist, read back is not widespread, and errors continue. Home Healthcare Now, 37(4), 230-233. https://doi.org/10.1097/NHH.0000000000000799
Wakefield, D. S., Wakefield, B. J., Despins, L., Brandt, J., Davis, W., Clements, K., & Steinmann, W. (2012). A review of verbal order policies in acute care hospitals. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 38(1), 24-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1553-7250(12)38004-5
What the NU298 Unit 9 assignment asks for
Unit 9 often asks capstone students to discuss a professional practice dilemma a new nurse is likely to face, such as unsafe orders, assignments or communication failures. Prompts usually want the situation described, the options open to the nurse, a defended choice, the nurse's accountability and any legal or policy points, ending with something for classmates to answer. A reply to a classmate with a different view is normally required. Instructors look for options weighed fairly, evidence or policy guidance supporting the choice, accurate placement of accountability and a practical escalation path. Posts commonly run about 450 words with a reply near 120, citing sources on verbal orders or safety in APA 7.
How this NU298 Unit 9 example is built
The post sets the scene at 0200 with the provider's words and the missing route and rate. Three choices are laid out before one is defended. The highlighted sentence states that an order she cannot read back is not one she can safely carry out. Evidence on verbal order policies and read-back practice supports the choice, and each option's risk is named. A paragraph places accountability with the nurse and describes calling back, involving the charge nurse and escalating. A question asks classmates how their units handle providers who resist read-back. The reply answers a classmate who would give it orally, noting what a wrong guess would cost.
Reading the NU298 Unit 9 grading rubric
Professional practice discussion rubrics in NU 298 commonly award points for understanding the dilemma, weighing options, supporting the choice, accountability, escalation and peer engagement. Dilemma points depend on naming exactly what is unclear in the order. Option points go to stating each choice and its risk fairly. Support points are earned by citing evidence or policy on verbal orders and read-back. Accountability points require placing responsibility with the nurse who administers the drug. Escalation points reward a realistic path, including the charge nurse. Engagement points go to a reply that answers a different view with reasons. Posts that also mention documenting the attempt to clarify tend to show complete professional judgment.
Common NU298 Unit 9 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Practice dilemma posts often lose points by choosing the convenient option, such as giving the most common route, without naming the risk if the guess is wrong. Another frequent error is refusing the order without offering a way to treat the patient. Some students blame the provider without addressing the nurse's own accountability. Others give no escalation path. Name what is unclear, set out every reasonable option with its risk, choose the one that treats the patient safely, cite policy or evidence, explain escalation and document the attempt to clarify. In the reply, answer the classmate's reasoning rather than repeating your own. Keep the scenario short so classmates can answer it quickly.
Get an NU298 Unit 9 example written to your instructions
Delegation, floating, scope, social media, impairment reporting, licensure across state lines: Unit 9 boards in NU298 can raise any of these. Pass along the question as posted, the reply count required and the rubric; mention whose practice act applies if the prompt asks. The position taken rests on the ANA code, that practice act and published board guidance. First custom sample free; 24-48h. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.
More NU298 papers and BSN samples
- NU298 Unit 1: Capstone Topic Proposal
- NU298 Unit 2: Capstone Problem Statement
- NU298 Unit 3: Capstone Literature Search Summary
- NU298 Unit 4: Capstone Annotated Bibliography
- NU298 Unit 5: Capstone Evidence Synthesis
- NU298 Unit 6: Capstone Implementation Plan
- NU298 Unit 7: Role Transition Paper
- NU298 Unit 8: Professional Portfolio Piece
- NU298 Unit 10: Capstone Paper
- NU263CL Unit 9: Post-Laparotomy COPD Plan of Care
- NU263 Unit 9: Time-Limited Trial Ethics Post
- NU104 Unit 9: Concept Map
- NU245CL Unit 9: Lithium Teaching Reflection
NU298 Unit 9 questions, answered
Where can I find a free NU298 Unit 9 sample paper?
The complete NU298 Unit 9 discussion post is here, weighing a rushed telephone order for potassium that could not be read back, with escalation steps, a reply and two sources. A dilemma from your own first months could be weighed the same way.
Why read back a telephone order in NU298 Unit 9 terms?
Writing the order down and reading it back lets the prescriber confirm the drug, dose, route and timing, catching errors before they reach the patient.
Why is IV potassium dangerous if given wrong?
Potassium given too fast into a vein can cause dangerous heart rhythms, so the route and rate must be clear before it is given.
Who is accountable for giving an unclear order?
The nurse who gives the medication is accountable for confirming the order, even if the provider gave it verbally.
What should a nurse do if the provider won't answer?
Call again, involve the charge nurse and follow the facility's escalation path to another provider, while monitoring the patient.