BSN Medication Administration
Examination Practice Questions & [Verified
Answers], Plus Explained Rationales|2026
Latest Update| Instant Download PDF
1. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication and compares the
medication label with the medication administration record
(MAR). Which action best demonstrates safe medication
administration?
A. Compare the label with the MAR once before removing the
medication
B. Compare the label with the MAR when removing, preparing, and
returning the medication
C. Verify only the medication name and dose
D. Ask another nurse to verify every medication
Answer: B. Compare the label with the MAR when removing,
preparing, and returning the medication
Rationale: Standard medication safety practice includes repeated
label-to-MAR comparisons during medication preparation to reduce
wrong-patient, wrong-drug, wrong-dose, and wrong-route errors.
2. A nurse is administering oral medications to a patient who has
difficulty swallowing. Which intervention is most appropriate?
A. Crush all medications and mix them together
B. Ask the patient to swallow the medications without water
C. Determine whether each medication can safely be crushed
D. Dissolve all medications in hot water
1|Page
,Answer: C. Determine whether each medication can safely be crushed
Rationale: Some medications, such as extended-release, enteric-
coated, and certain sublingual formulations, should not be crushed
because doing so can alter absorption or cause toxicity.
3. A patient is prescribed digoxin. Before administering the
medication, which assessment is most important?
A. Respiratory rate
B. Apical pulse
C. Temperature
D. Capillary refill
Answer: B. Apical pulse
Rationale: Digoxin can cause bradycardia. The nurse should assess the
apical pulse for a full minute before administration and follow the
prescribed parameters for withholding the medication.
4. A nurse is administering subcutaneous insulin. Which site
provides an appropriate location for administration?
A. Deltoid muscle
B. Abdomen
C. Dorsogluteal muscle
D. Forearm vein
Answer: B. Abdomen
Rationale: The abdomen is a commonly used subcutaneous insulin site
because it provides consistent absorption. Other appropriate sites
include the upper arms, thighs, and buttocks depending on the
medication and institutional policy.
2|Page
, 5. A patient receiving warfarin asks why regular blood tests are
necessary. Which laboratory test is primarily used to monitor
warfarin therapy?
A. aPTT
B. INR
C. Troponin
D. Serum sodium
Answer: B. INR
Rationale: The international normalized ratio (INR) is used to monitor
the anticoagulant effect of warfarin and guide dosing.
6. A nurse is preparing to administer an IV medication. Which
assessment is most important before administering the
medication through a peripheral IV catheter?
A. Check the patient's hearing
B. Assess the IV site for patency and complications
C. Measure abdominal circumference
D. Assess visual acuity
Answer: B. Assess the IV site for patency and complications
Rationale: IV medications should be administered only through a
patent, appropriately functioning IV access site. Infiltration,
extravasation, phlebitis, or infection can cause significant harm.
7. A patient prescribed furosemide has which laboratory value that
requires the nurse's immediate attention?
A. Potassium 2.9 mEq/L
B. Sodium 139 mEq/L
C. Chloride 102 mEq/L
D. Calcium 9.2 mg/dL
3|Page
, Answer: A. Potassium 2.9 mEq/L
Rationale: Furosemide promotes potassium loss. Significant
hypokalemia can cause dysrhythmias and may require intervention
before additional doses are administered.
8. A nurse is administering an oral medication to a patient. Which
action is appropriate for verifying patient identity?
A. Ask the patient whether they are in room 204
B. Use two approved patient identifiers
C. Identify the patient by diagnosis
D. Ask a family member to confirm the patient's identity
Answer: B. Use two approved patient identifiers
Rationale: Using two patient identifiers helps prevent medication
administration to the wrong patient. Room number should not be
used as an identifier.
9. A patient taking an ACE inhibitor develops swelling of the lips and
tongue. What is the nurse's priority action?
A. Administer the next scheduled dose
B. Document the finding and reassess tomorrow
C. Recognize possible angioedema and initiate emergency intervention
D. Encourage oral fluids
Answer: C. Recognize possible angioedema and initiate emergency
intervention
Rationale: ACE inhibitors can cause angioedema, which can rapidly
compromise the airway. Airway assessment and emergency
intervention are priorities.
10. A nurse is administering a medication through a feeding
tube. Which action is appropriate?
4|Page
Examination Practice Questions & [Verified
Answers], Plus Explained Rationales|2026
Latest Update| Instant Download PDF
1. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication and compares the
medication label with the medication administration record
(MAR). Which action best demonstrates safe medication
administration?
A. Compare the label with the MAR once before removing the
medication
B. Compare the label with the MAR when removing, preparing, and
returning the medication
C. Verify only the medication name and dose
D. Ask another nurse to verify every medication
Answer: B. Compare the label with the MAR when removing,
preparing, and returning the medication
Rationale: Standard medication safety practice includes repeated
label-to-MAR comparisons during medication preparation to reduce
wrong-patient, wrong-drug, wrong-dose, and wrong-route errors.
2. A nurse is administering oral medications to a patient who has
difficulty swallowing. Which intervention is most appropriate?
A. Crush all medications and mix them together
B. Ask the patient to swallow the medications without water
C. Determine whether each medication can safely be crushed
D. Dissolve all medications in hot water
1|Page
,Answer: C. Determine whether each medication can safely be crushed
Rationale: Some medications, such as extended-release, enteric-
coated, and certain sublingual formulations, should not be crushed
because doing so can alter absorption or cause toxicity.
3. A patient is prescribed digoxin. Before administering the
medication, which assessment is most important?
A. Respiratory rate
B. Apical pulse
C. Temperature
D. Capillary refill
Answer: B. Apical pulse
Rationale: Digoxin can cause bradycardia. The nurse should assess the
apical pulse for a full minute before administration and follow the
prescribed parameters for withholding the medication.
4. A nurse is administering subcutaneous insulin. Which site
provides an appropriate location for administration?
A. Deltoid muscle
B. Abdomen
C. Dorsogluteal muscle
D. Forearm vein
Answer: B. Abdomen
Rationale: The abdomen is a commonly used subcutaneous insulin site
because it provides consistent absorption. Other appropriate sites
include the upper arms, thighs, and buttocks depending on the
medication and institutional policy.
2|Page
, 5. A patient receiving warfarin asks why regular blood tests are
necessary. Which laboratory test is primarily used to monitor
warfarin therapy?
A. aPTT
B. INR
C. Troponin
D. Serum sodium
Answer: B. INR
Rationale: The international normalized ratio (INR) is used to monitor
the anticoagulant effect of warfarin and guide dosing.
6. A nurse is preparing to administer an IV medication. Which
assessment is most important before administering the
medication through a peripheral IV catheter?
A. Check the patient's hearing
B. Assess the IV site for patency and complications
C. Measure abdominal circumference
D. Assess visual acuity
Answer: B. Assess the IV site for patency and complications
Rationale: IV medications should be administered only through a
patent, appropriately functioning IV access site. Infiltration,
extravasation, phlebitis, or infection can cause significant harm.
7. A patient prescribed furosemide has which laboratory value that
requires the nurse's immediate attention?
A. Potassium 2.9 mEq/L
B. Sodium 139 mEq/L
C. Chloride 102 mEq/L
D. Calcium 9.2 mg/dL
3|Page
, Answer: A. Potassium 2.9 mEq/L
Rationale: Furosemide promotes potassium loss. Significant
hypokalemia can cause dysrhythmias and may require intervention
before additional doses are administered.
8. A nurse is administering an oral medication to a patient. Which
action is appropriate for verifying patient identity?
A. Ask the patient whether they are in room 204
B. Use two approved patient identifiers
C. Identify the patient by diagnosis
D. Ask a family member to confirm the patient's identity
Answer: B. Use two approved patient identifiers
Rationale: Using two patient identifiers helps prevent medication
administration to the wrong patient. Room number should not be
used as an identifier.
9. A patient taking an ACE inhibitor develops swelling of the lips and
tongue. What is the nurse's priority action?
A. Administer the next scheduled dose
B. Document the finding and reassess tomorrow
C. Recognize possible angioedema and initiate emergency intervention
D. Encourage oral fluids
Answer: C. Recognize possible angioedema and initiate emergency
intervention
Rationale: ACE inhibitors can cause angioedema, which can rapidly
compromise the airway. Airway assessment and emergency
intervention are priorities.
10. A nurse is administering a medication through a feeding
tube. Which action is appropriate?
4|Page
