Question 1

If a health care practitioner is unfamiliar with a drug,he or she should .

Accepted Answer

It is important to ensure patient safety by always consulting a reliable reference source or a pharmacist before administering any medication with which the healthcare practitioner is unfamiliar. The practitioner should never guess or assume they know the dosage or any side effects of the drug.

Question 2

Mrs.Chen is an older woman who can sometimes be contrary about taking her medication.One morning,she refuses to take her medication,which includes drugs for her high blood pressure,Type 2 diabetes,and seizure disorder.What should you do?

Accepted Answer

It is important to document her refusal in the chart and notify the physician if necessary, as well as to return the medication to the medication room. Coercion or punishment, such as withholding breakfast or threatening with shots, is not appropriate and could be considered abusive. Leaving the medication on the bed table is also not recommended because there is no guarantee she will take them or take the correct dosage.

Question 3

Isaac,a spry and active 84-year-old,is hospitalized for a knee replacement.He finds it a bit insulting when nurses ask him his name before they give him his medications.Why are the nurses asking for this information?

Accepted Answer

Nurses ask for the patient's name as a way to confirm their identity before administering medication. This is a safety measure to ensure that the right medicine is being given to the right patient. It is a standard protocol in healthcare settings to prevent medication errors and protect patient safety.

Question 4

The nurse on duty has just finished preparing medication for administration as she falls and hits her head badly enough to be taken to the emergency room.The supervisor has given you responsibility for medication administration.What should you do?

Accepted Answer

It is important to prioritize patient safety and follow standard protocols, which usually include starting medication preparation from the beginning if it was not completed by the original nurse. Administering medication that has been prepared by someone else, particularly if there is a chance the medication can be tampered with, can compromise patient safety. It is better to err on the side of caution and prepare the medication yourself rather than potentially put the patient at risk.

Question 5

Sylvano's hospital has a new packaging system in the pharmacy and,unfortunately,the labels are not dispensed properly.This evening,he receives unit dose medications in which the labels are so crooked that they are overlapping one another.What should Sylvano do?

Accepted Answer

When labels are not dispensed properly and are overlapping, there is a high risk of medication errors. It is unsafe to administer a medication without being able to accurately identify it. Therefore, Sylvano should not administer the medication and should report the issue to the pharmacy for correction.

Question 6

Patients must understand the importance of taking their medicine in the proper dosage,on time,and in the proper way if ____.

Accepted Answer

Patients need to take their medicine in the proper dosage, on time, and in the proper way to benefit from drug therapy. This is the primary reason for patient education on medication management. The other options (A, C, and D) may also be reasons for patient education on medication management, but the most important reason is to ensure that the patient receives the full benefit from the prescribed medication.

Question 7

Physicians are notorious for their illegible handwriting.What innovation helps reduce errors associated with misreading prescriptions?

Accepted Answer

CPOE (Computerized Physician Order Entry) helps reduce errors associated with misreading prescriptions by allowing physicians to electronically enter medication orders rather than handwriting them. This reduces the likelihood of errors due to illegible handwriting.

Question 8

What should happen if narcotics are not used due to a partial dosage,error,or cancellation of an order?

Accepted Answer

Narcotics are considered controlled substances and must be disposed of properly by two healthcare practitioners signing as witnesses. They cannot be reused or kept in the medication room for other patients. A physician may need to be notified to rewrite the order or make alternative therapy arrangements.

Question 9

Logan,who has terminal cancer,has a prn order for an anxiolytic injection.When it is administered,the hospice nurse should note dose,time,route,location of injection,and .

Accepted Answer

The answer of Logan,who has terminal cancer,has a prn order...

Question 10

Responsibility for safe administration of medications requires that the health care practitioner .

Accepted Answer

To ensure safe administration of medications, healthcare practitioners should have a thorough understanding of the medication they are administering. This includes knowing the drug's indications, contraindications, side effects, dosage, routes of administration, and interactions with other medications. It is important to be able to identify and prevent medication errors, as errors can have serious consequences for patients. Therefore, being familiar with every medication before administration is crucial for safe medication administration. The other options listed (having a physician check all medications, signing off on required releases, or working with a partner to reduce errors) may be helpful in certain situations, but they are not the primary responsibility of the healthcare practitioner when it comes to safe medication administration.

Question 11

Four-year-old Patrick is at the doctor for an IM injection,and begs you to use one of the tiny needles he remembers from a skin test for allergies because that did not hurt much.What should you do?

Accepted Answer

It is important to carefully explain to Patrick and his parents why the tiny needle cannot be used for the IM injection, as it may not be effective in delivering the medication properly. It is also important to follow the order as prescribed by the doctor to ensure proper treatment.

Question 12

Under what circumstances must a MEDWATCH form be completed?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Under what circumstances must a MEDWATCH form...

Question 13

What is the ultimate goal of safe medication administration?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the ultimate goal of safe...

Question 14

Ms.Vasco's arms are covered with bruises and as a result,she begs you to give her a pill rather than another injection.Under what circumstances can a route be changed?

Accepted Answer

Changing the route of administration of medication can have serious implications for the patient, and therefore should only be done under the supervision and authorization of a healthcare provider. This means that changing the route of administration can only be done with a physician's order. Therefore, option B is the best choice. Options A, C, and D are not appropriate as they do not ensure that the change in route of administration is done in a safe and effective manner.

Question 15

Miguel's prescription states that he is to take his anticonvulsant every 12 hours.He asks if he can take the medication first thing in the morning (usually around 7)and then when he goes to bed (usually around 11)to avoid his usual forgetfulness.What should you tell Miguel?

Accepted Answer

Miguel should take his medication every 12 hours in order to maintain a therapeutic level of the anticonvulsant and prevent convulsions. Taking the medication at inconsistent times may result in inadequate treatment of his condition.

Question 16

The medication order notes the medication is to be administered pc.What does pc mean?

Accepted Answer

"pc" stands for "post cibum" which in Latin means "after meals". Therefore, the medication should be administered after the patient has eaten.

Question 17

Luca,a new nurse at the nursing home,explains to you that he injured his hands over the weekend with some garage tools.He is responsible for medication administration and asks you to open all of the unit dose packages for him before he makes rounds.What should you tell him?

Accepted Answer

Unit dose packages should only be opened when the patient is ready to take them, not before. It is important to maintain medication safety and accuracy by following proper protocols for medication administration. Opening unit dose packages before the patient is ready to take them increases the risk of medication errors and compromises patient safety. It is not appropriate to ask someone else to open the packages for you, especially if it is due to a personal injury.

Question 18

Cyndy notices that the doctor has ordered the administration of 400 mg of meperidine hydrochloride (Demerol)every two hours.She knows that the usual dose is 50 to 150 mg every three to four hours.What should she do?

Accepted Answer

Cyndy should question the dose in accordance with the facility's procedures, as the ordered dosage is significantly higher and more frequent than the usual dose. It is possible that there may be a mistake or misunderstanding and it is important to clarify the order with the doctor before administering the medication. Administering the drug without clarification could put the patient at risk for adverse effects or overdose.

Question 19

For what types of medication errors must an incident report be completed?

Accepted Answer

An incident report should be completed for all medication errors, regardless of whether they are witnessed by another healthcare practitioner, result in an adverse reaction or are potentially dangerous. This allows for analysis of the error and implementation of measures to prevent similar errors in the future.

Question 20

What is an innovation that reduces errors by assuring the identity and dose of each drug are prescribed specifically for the correct patient?

Accepted Answer

The innovation that reduces errors by assuring the identity and dose of each drug are prescribed specifically for the correct patient is bar codes. Bar codes can be scanned to verify the patient's identity and match it with the correct medication and dose, reducing the risk of error. MedWatch is a program that allows healthcare providers to report adverse events associated with medical products. The MER (medication error rate) is a metric used to measure the frequency and severity of medication errors, but it is not an innovation itself. CPOE (computerized physician order entry) is a system used to enter medication orders electronically, which can reduce errors but does not necessarily address patient identification and verification.

Quiz 7: Responsibilities and Principles of Drug Administration