Deck 7: Safety Considerations in Medication Administration

Question 1

A nurse is preparing to administer medication to a patient who is unable to speak and is not wearing an armband. Which of the following actions by the nurse is appropriate?
1) Give the medications without identifying the patient.
2) Ask a coworker to identify the patient.
3) Follow the facility's policy on acceptable forms of patient identifiers.
4) Do not give the medications and document that the patient refused.

Answer 1

3

Question 2

Which of the following abbreviations means "twice daily"?
1) tid
2) tpd
3) bid
4) qid

Answer 2

3

Question 3

A nurse receives an order to perform a task that appears to be outside the scope of nursing practice. Which of the following organizations should the nurse consult for more information?
1) The nurse's state board of nursing
2) National Council of State Boards of Nursing
3) Institute for Safe Medication Practices
4) American Nurses Association

Answer 3

1

Question 4

The nurse is taking a telephone order for Lovenox. Which of the following is the correct way for the nurse to abbreviate subcutaneous in the client's chart?
1) SQ
2) SC
3) subcut
4) Sub q

Question 5

A nurse is preparing to administer Metformin 500 mg orally to a client. The nurse has checked the medication against the medication administration record (MAR), which says Metformin 500 mg PO. The nurse then checks the patient's armband against the MAR. Which right of administration does the nurse need to complete before administering the medication?
1) Right dose
2) Right drug
3) Right route
4) Right time

Question 6

The goal of medication reconciliation is to:
1) Identify discrepancies between current medications and those the patient should be taking.
2) Ensure that a patient is billed for all medications received in a facility.
3) Improve a pharmacy's control over narcotics.
4) Decrease the time it takes a nurse to administer medications.

Question 7

The organization that develops National Patient Safety Goals is the:
1) Food and Drug Administration
2) Joint Commission
3) Institute for Safe Medication Practices
4) Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Question 8

A nurse is teaching an in-service class on compliance with federal regulations on medications. The nurse teaches that the purpose of the Controlled Substance Act of 1970 was to:
1) Control the manufacture and distribution of over-the-counter medications.
2) Ban the labeling of medications with false therapeutic claims.
3) Control the manufacture, import, distribution, possession, and use of substances with a potential for abuse and addiction.
4) Establish the difference between over-the-counter drugs and drugs that need a prescription from a physician.

Question 9

A nurse is administering medications to a client who has difficulty swallowing large pills. Which of the following actions is not appropriate for the nurse to complete when preparing medications for this client?
1) Crushing a scored tablet
2) Opening a capsule and sprinkling the medication in a bite of applesauce
3) Choosing a liquid form of a medication instead of a pill
4) Crushing a sublingual medication

Question 10

How many times should the nurse check a medication before administering it to a patient?
1) None
2) One
3) Two
4) Three

Question 11

Which of the following statements about automated medication dispensing (AMD) systems are true? Select all that apply.
1) They allow pharmacies to easily track medications, which improves efficiency.
2) They allow the nurse to skip performing the three checks and six rights of medication administration.
3) They enhance the security of stored medications.
4) They may reduce the risk of medication errors when used properly.
5) They allow the nurse to give medications at unscheduled times.

Question 12

A nurse is administering morning medications to a patient. The nurse knows that liquid medicines that consist of a medication mixed in a base of water and alcohol are known as:
1) Suspensions
2) Syrups
3) Elixirs
4) Solutions

Question 13

The nurse is administering morning medications to a patient. Which of the following rights of medication administration should the nurse consider when performing this task? Select all that apply.
1) Right patient
2) Right time
3) Right doctor
4) Right route
5) Right room number

Question 14

The nurse is preparing to administer an injection. The nurse knows that an injection made into the skin layer is called a(n):
1) Intradermal injection
2) Intramuscular injection
3) Intravenous injection
4) Subcutaneous injection

Question 15

The experienced nurse is orienting a new graduate nurse to the medical-surgical floor. The new graduate nurse is taking a telephone order from a physician. Which of the following abbreviations used in the medical record by the new graduate nurse requires intervention from the experienced nurse? Select all that apply.
1) q.o.d.
2) subcut
3) sub q
4) IVP
5) hs

Question 16

Which of the following should the nurse check when retrieving a medication from its storage bin?
1) The name of the provider ordering the medication
2) The name of the medication
3) The patient's allergies
4) The patient's room number

Question 17

A nurse is preparing to give medications to a patient. How many patient identifiers must be used prior to administering the medications?
1) None
2) One
3) Two
4) Three

Question 18

A nurse should call and clarify an order with the provider if which of the following unacceptable abbreviations is used in a medication order?
1) u
2) ID
3) NKDA
4) subcut

Question 19

The abbreviation PRN means:
1) Every 2 hours
2) Immediately
3) At bedtime
4) As needed

Question 20

The nurse is preparing medications for a patient. The nurse is unfamiliar with one of the medications the patient is to receive. What is the best action for the nurse to take?
1) Call the provider.
2) Ask a coworker about the medication and hope the information is correct.
3) Give the medication. It is the provider's responsibility to make sure it is the correct drug and dosage.
4) Look up the medication in an approved drug book or electronic database, then call the provider if there appears to be any errors.