Which is the safest action when receiving a verbal medication order from a physician?

Verbal and telephone orders are error-prone because of misheard medications, similar-sounding drug names, and number confusion. The safest practice is the 'read-back' procedure: (1) The nurse writes down the order as it is given; (2) The nurse reads back the complete order to the physician — drug name, dose, route, frequency; (3) The physician confirms the order is correct before the call ends. This is required by The Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goals for verbal/telephone orders. Some institutions have additional safeguards: spelling out high-alert medication names, having a second nurse listen, restricting verbal orders to emergencies. Verbal orders should be entered into the medical record promptly and signed by the physician within the time frame required by policy (usually 24 hours). The read-back applies to critical lab values as well — the recipient repeats the value to confirm.