If a medication order is missing essential details on the MAR, what is the appropriate action?

• A. Continue with the order as is
• B. Approve the order by default
• C. Document the missing details and escalate to the prescriber for clarification
• D. Cancel the order

Answer: (C)

Ensuring a complete and verified medication order before administration is the priority. When essential details are missing on the Medication Administration Record, you pause and address the gap rather than proceeding. This protects the patient from errors such as giving an incorrect dose, route, or timing. The right step is to document what is missing and escalate to the prescriber for clarification so the order can be corrected and properly documented on the MAR. Once the prescriber provides the missing details, update the MAR and proceed only after confirmation. Approving by default or continuing with partial information risks harm, and canceling the order without a valid replacement could deprive the patient of needed therapy. If the prescriber isn’t immediately reachable, involve the appropriate on-call provider or pharmacist and record all communications and decisions.