Question 1

Which of the following statements correctly identifies factors that contribute to medication errors?

Accepted Answer

Handwritten orders have been shown to increase the risk of medication errors due to illegibility or misinterpretation.

Answer: D
 In this scenario, both the administering nurse and ordering clinician could be held accountable for the incorrect dose. It is important for all healthcare professionals involved in the medication administration process to ensure accuracy in dosing based on patient weight.

Therefore, the correct answer is C and D.

Question 2

The nursing instructor teaches the student nurses about how medication errors can occur.What information will the nursing instructor include in the presentation? Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.

Accepted Answer

A,B,D,E

Question 3

The nurse is on a committee to reduce medication errors in a large health care facility.What is a recommendation the nurse proposes that will most likely help to reduce medication errors?

Accepted Answer

Using automated, computerized cabinets on all nursing units can significantly reduce medication errors because they can help ensure the correct medication is dispensed for the correct patient and dose, reduce the likelihood of administering expired medications, and provide real-time medication tracking and documentation. Training medication technicians or designating nurses solely for medication administration may not address the root causes of medication errors, while using robots to prepare all medications may not be feasible or cost-effective in all settings.

Question 4

The nurse is preparing medications for a group of patients.Another nurse begins telling the nurse about her recent engagement.What is the best action by the first nurse?

Accepted Answer

Distractions during medication preparation can lead to errors. The first nurse should prioritize patient safety by minimizing distractions and focusing on the task at hand.

Question 5

Which of the following statements regarding medication error rates is ethically accurate?

Accepted Answer

Medication errors can have serious and potentially life-threatening consequences. All efforts should be made to prevent them, and any error rate other than zero is ethically unacceptable.

Question 6

The nurse manager plans to teach the graduate nurse the reason why the nursing unit has policies and procedures.What best describes the reason for policies and procedures?

Accepted Answer

Policies and procedures establish standards of care for the institution. They outline the expected practices, behaviors, and actions of healthcare personnel and provide a consistent framework for patient care.

Question 7

Which of the following demonstrates ethical reporting of a medication error?

Accepted Answer

The best choice is D, as it demonstrates ethical reporting of a medication error. The nurse informs the patient, documents the error as per hospital policy, and notifies the physician. This adheres to the principles of honesty, transparency, and accountability. It is important to report medication errors even if they did not result in harm to the patient because it helps identify system errors and prevent future errors. Not reporting or documenting the error, as in options A and B, is unethical and could lead to potential harm to the patient. Option C is also not the best choice, as documentation is important for legal and quality improvement purposes.

Question 8

Which of the following best represents adherence to a standard of care?

Accepted Answer

Adhering to a specific time frame for medication administration is a standard of care that ensures patients receive the appropriate treatment in a timely manner.

Answer: D
 Discontinuing medication at a patient's request may not be in line with the standard of care, as it may not be medically necessary or safe.

Question 9

The nurse was very busy and unfamiliar with a new medication,but administered it anyway.Later the nurse looked up the medication.How does the nurse manager evaluate this behavior?

Accepted Answer

The nurse's behavior could potentially lead to medication error or adverse reaction due to administering a medication before understanding its action and side effects. It is essential to have complete knowledge about the medications before administering them to prevent harm to the patient.

Question 10

The nurse commits a medication error.The nurse documents the error in the patient's record and completes the incident report.What does the nurse recognize as the primary reason for doing this?

Accepted Answer

The nurse recognizes that the primary reason for documenting the medication error and completing the incident report is to verify that the patient's safety was protected. This documentation serves as a record of the error and the steps taken to ensure the patient's well-being.

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of a medication error?

Accepted Answer

A medication error is defined as any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm. In option A, the wrong dose was drawn up, which is a preventable event, even though it was caught and corrected before administration.

Question 12

The nurse makes a medication error and a patient dies.In court,the attorney for the family of the deceased patient asks the nurse if she followed standards of care in administering the medication.How would the attorney phrase this ?

Accepted Answer

The attorney would likely ask if the nurse acted as another reasonable nurse would have under similar circumstances, which relates to the legal standard of care.

Question 13

The nurse recognizes that agency system checks are in place to decrease medication errors.Who commonly collaborates with the nurse on checking the accuracy of the medication prior to administration?

Accepted Answer

Pharmacists are trained medication experts who collaborate with nurses in checking the accuracy of medication prior to administration. While the nursing supervisor, nursing unit manager, and physician may also be involved in the medication administration process, they do not primarily collaborate with the nurse in medication accuracy checks.

Question 14

The nurse is working very hard to prevent medication errors.What plan(s)will assist the nurse in preventing most errors? Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse is working very hard to...

Question 15

Patients who are discharged from the hospital on new medications should

Accepted Answer

Patients who are discharged from the hospital on new medications should be provided with both oral and written drug information and instructions. This ensures that the patient understands how to take the medication properly and can refer back to the written instructions if needed. While the local pharmacy may provide drug information, it is important for the hospital to take responsibility in ensuring the patient understands their medication regimen before leaving the hospital.

Question 16

Nurses should implement strategies to prevent medication errors.Which strategies would be the most beneficial for reducing common errors?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Nurses should implement strategies to prevent medication...

Question 17

The nurse administers an evening medication to the patient in the morning.The medication did go to the correct patient.What is the nurse's best course of action at this time?

Accepted Answer

Administering medication at the wrong time is a medication error which should be reported to the physician and documented through an incident report. This is the standard protocol for addressing medication errors to ensure proper follow-up and prevention of future errors.

Question 18

The nurse in the emergency department administers an adult dose of an antibiotic to a 3-month-old baby.As a result,the baby suffers permanent brain damage.What best describes the effect of this error on the health care facility?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse in the emergency department administers...

Question 19

The nurse teaches a class to patients about how to help prevent medication errors when in the hospital.What is a priority for the nurse to ask the patients?

Accepted Answer

Knowing the names of the medications a patient is taking can help prevent medication errors. Patients should always bring a list of their current medications to the hospital and ask the healthcare providers to verify the list.

Question 20

The nurse assesses an adverse effect of a medication that has been administered.No medication error was committed.What is the best plan of the nurse at this time?

Accepted Answer

Reporting adverse effects to the FDA's MedWatch Website is the appropriate action for the nurse to take. This website is specifically designed to collect information about adverse events from medications and medical devices. It allows for timely reporting and monitoring of these events, which can help identify potential safety issues and improve patient care. Reporting to other FDA websites may not be as effective or efficient for addressing the adverse effect.

Quiz 7: Medication Errors and Risk Reduction