Which medication order for a patient with pulmonary embolism should be clarified with the physician before administration?

Warfarin is an anticoagulant that is typically used to prevent and treat blood clots, including those associated with pulmonary embolism. However, it is important to consider the patient's current INR (International Normalized Ratio) level before initiating or continuing warfarin therapy. This is due to the risk of bleeding associated with warfarin, especially if a dose is not appropriately adjusted based on the patient's coagulation status.

In this scenario, the dosage of 1.0 mg is significantly low for a patient being treated for a pulmonary embolism, where typically higher loading doses between 5-10 mg are initiated, followed by adjustments based on the INR. Therefore, clarifying this medication order is essential to ensure the safety and efficacy of the treatment plan.

The other medication options, such as morphine sulfate and cephalexin, are more standard and do not require the same level of monitoring. Morphine may help manage pain associated with pulmonary embolism, and cephalexin is an antibiotic that would be used if there is a concurrent bacterial infection. The heparin infusion at 900 units/hr, often used in acute cases of pulmonary embolism, is also a typical therapeutic measure and does not raise the same concerns as initiating