Discontinue Orders mean that medications are what?

Discontinue Orders mean that medications are what?

• A. Meds are stopped
• B. Meds are started
• C. Meds are repeated
• D. Meds are withheld

Answer: (A)

Discontinue orders indicate that a medication is no longer to be given. When a clinician writes a discontinue order, the nurse stops administering the drug and removes it from the patient’s treatment plan. This is different from withholding, which means you don’t give the medication right now but it could be given later if another order allows. It’s also not about starting or repeating a dose; those actions refer to beginning a medication or giving it again, which is different from ending it. So the correct understanding is that the medications are stopped.

Discontinue orders indicate that a medication is no longer to be given. When a clinician writes a discontinue order, the nurse stops administering the drug and removes it from the patient’s treatment plan. This is different from withholding, which means you don’t give the medication right now but it could be given later if another order allows. It’s also not about starting or repeating a dose; those actions refer to beginning a medication or giving it again, which is different from ending it. So the correct understanding is that the medications are stopped.