In an emergency order for a psychotropic medication, what must you do regarding consent and notification?

• A. Follow the physician's orders and do not obtain consent prior to administration; within 72 hours notify the parent and the person legally authorized to give medical consent; physician's statement documented in the child's record
• B. Obtain parental consent prior to administration
• C. Never administer psychotropic medications in an emergency
• D. Notify only the health-care professional

Answer: (A)

In an emergency order for a psychotropic medication, you act on the physician’s order right away without obtaining parental consent before administration. The important follow-up steps are to notify within 72 hours the child’s parent or the person legally authorized to give medical consent, and to have the physician’s justification for the emergency entered in the child’s medical record. This approach ensures timely, needed treatment while keeping guardians informed and preserving proper documentation. The other options don’t fit because they either require pre-authorization before treatment, deny emergency administration, or limit notification to someone other than the relevant guardian or authorized decision-maker.