What nursing intervention is appropriate before administering medication to a child with a chronic condition?

Verifying the child's allergies is a crucial nursing intervention before administering medication, particularly for a child with a chronic condition. Allergies can lead to severe and potentially life-threatening reactions, such as anaphylaxis, if the child is administered a medication they are allergic to.

By confirming the child's allergies, the nurse helps to ensure patient safety and prevent adverse reactions. This step is essential, especially since children with chronic conditions may already be on multiple medications, increasing the risk of interactions or allergic responses.

While reviewing the medication's side effects can be important for education and monitoring purposes, ensuring the safety of the medication administration takes precedence. Ensuring the child has had a meal may be relevant for certain medications (like those that should be taken with food), but it doesn't address the fundamental safety concern of allergies. Limiting physical activity is generally not a standard practice related to medication administration unless specified by the medication or condition, and would not typically be a necessary intervention prior to giving most medications.