NCLEX RN Medication Safety Practice
Exam 100 Questions And Correct
Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026
1. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication. Which action is most
important before removing the medication from the dispensing system?
A. Check the patient's room number
B. Compare the medication label with the medication administration record
(MAR)
C. Ask another nurse to verify the medication
D. Document the medication as administered
Answer: B. Compare the medication label with the medication administration
record (MAR)
Rationale: Comparing the medication label with the MAR before preparation
helps ensure that the correct medication is being selected and reduces
medication errors.
2. Which identifiers should the nurse use before administering a
medication?
A. Patient's name and room number
B. Patient's name and diagnosis
C. Two approved patient identifiers
D. Room number and date of birth
Answer: C. Two approved patient identifiers
Rationale: Two approved identifiers, such as full name and date of birth, are
used to verify patient identity. Room number should not be used as an
identifier.
, 3. A nurse discovers that a medication dose appears unusually high. What
should the nurse do first?
A. Administer the medication and monitor the patient
B. Ask the patient whether the dose is correct
C. Hold the medication and clarify the order
D. Document the dose as refused
Answer: C. Hold the medication and clarify the order
Rationale: An unusually high dose may represent a prescribing or
transcription error. The nurse should clarify the order before administration.
4. Which abbreviation should the nurse avoid because it can be misread?
A. mL
B. mg
C. U for units
D. PO
Answer: C. U for units
Rationale: The abbreviation "U" can be mistaken for a zero, a four, or other
characters. The word "units" should be written instead.
5. Which prescription presents the greatest medication-safety concern?
A. Digoxin 0.125 mg PO daily
B. Morphine 2 mg IV every 4 hours PRN pain
C. Insulin 10 U subcutaneously before meals
D. Acetaminophen 650 mg PO every 6 hours PRN
Answer: C. Insulin 10 U subcutaneously before meals
Rationale: "U" is an unsafe abbreviation for units and can lead to serious
insulin dosing errors.
6. A nurse receives a verbal medication order during an emergency. Which
action promotes safety?
A. Write the order from memory
B. Repeat the order back to the prescriber
,C. Ask another nurse to interpret the order
D. Wait until the end of the shift to document it
Answer: B. Repeat the order back to the prescriber
Rationale: Read-back verification helps ensure that verbal orders are heard
and interpreted correctly, particularly when medications are involved.
7. Which medication should generally receive an independent double-
check according to facility policy?
A. Multivitamin
B. Acetaminophen
C. Insulin infusion
D. Oral calcium carbonate
Answer: C. Insulin infusion
Rationale: Insulin is a high-alert medication. Independent verification is
commonly required for insulin doses, especially continuous infusions.
8. A nurse is administering an oral medication to a patient who has
difficulty swallowing. What is the safest action?
A. Crush every tablet
B. Mix all medications together
C. Verify whether the medication can be crushed
D. Ask the patient to swallow the tablet whole
Answer: C. Verify whether the medication can be crushed
Rationale: Extended-release, enteric-coated, sublingual, and certain other
medications should not be crushed because doing so can alter absorption or
cause toxicity.
9. Which medication form should generally not be crushed?
A. Immediate-release tablet
B. Enteric-coated tablet
C. Chewable tablet
D. Scored tablet that is approved for splitting
Answer: B. Enteric-coated tablet
, Rationale: Crushing an enteric-coated tablet can destroy the protective
coating and cause the medication to be released prematurely.
10.A patient states, "This pill looks different from the one I usually take."
What should the nurse do?
A. Tell the patient that the pharmacy changed the appearance
B. Administer the medication because it is listed on the MAR
C. Stop and verify the medication before administering it
D. Tell the patient that medications may look different in the hospital
Answer: C. Stop and verify the medication before administering it
Rationale: Patients can identify medication discrepancies. The nurse should
investigate any concern about a medication before administration.
11.Which action is appropriate when administering a medication through an
enteral feeding tube?
A. Crush all medications together
B. Mix medications directly into the feeding formula
C. Verify tube placement and medication compatibility
D. Flush the tube only after all medications are given
Answer: C. Verify tube placement and medication compatibility
Rationale: Medication administration through feeding tubes requires
appropriate verification, flushing, and assessment of whether each
medication is suitable for tube administration.
12.A nurse is preparing medications for several patients. Which practice is
safest?
A. Prepare all patients' medications at once
B. Prepare medications for one patient at a time
C. Leave prepared medications unattended
D. Remove medications from packages before checking the MAR
Answer: B. Prepare medications for one patient at a time
Rationale: Preparing medications for one patient at a time decreases the risk
of mixing medications or patients.
Exam 100 Questions And Correct
Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026
1. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication. Which action is most
important before removing the medication from the dispensing system?
A. Check the patient's room number
B. Compare the medication label with the medication administration record
(MAR)
C. Ask another nurse to verify the medication
D. Document the medication as administered
Answer: B. Compare the medication label with the medication administration
record (MAR)
Rationale: Comparing the medication label with the MAR before preparation
helps ensure that the correct medication is being selected and reduces
medication errors.
2. Which identifiers should the nurse use before administering a
medication?
A. Patient's name and room number
B. Patient's name and diagnosis
C. Two approved patient identifiers
D. Room number and date of birth
Answer: C. Two approved patient identifiers
Rationale: Two approved identifiers, such as full name and date of birth, are
used to verify patient identity. Room number should not be used as an
identifier.
, 3. A nurse discovers that a medication dose appears unusually high. What
should the nurse do first?
A. Administer the medication and monitor the patient
B. Ask the patient whether the dose is correct
C. Hold the medication and clarify the order
D. Document the dose as refused
Answer: C. Hold the medication and clarify the order
Rationale: An unusually high dose may represent a prescribing or
transcription error. The nurse should clarify the order before administration.
4. Which abbreviation should the nurse avoid because it can be misread?
A. mL
B. mg
C. U for units
D. PO
Answer: C. U for units
Rationale: The abbreviation "U" can be mistaken for a zero, a four, or other
characters. The word "units" should be written instead.
5. Which prescription presents the greatest medication-safety concern?
A. Digoxin 0.125 mg PO daily
B. Morphine 2 mg IV every 4 hours PRN pain
C. Insulin 10 U subcutaneously before meals
D. Acetaminophen 650 mg PO every 6 hours PRN
Answer: C. Insulin 10 U subcutaneously before meals
Rationale: "U" is an unsafe abbreviation for units and can lead to serious
insulin dosing errors.
6. A nurse receives a verbal medication order during an emergency. Which
action promotes safety?
A. Write the order from memory
B. Repeat the order back to the prescriber
,C. Ask another nurse to interpret the order
D. Wait until the end of the shift to document it
Answer: B. Repeat the order back to the prescriber
Rationale: Read-back verification helps ensure that verbal orders are heard
and interpreted correctly, particularly when medications are involved.
7. Which medication should generally receive an independent double-
check according to facility policy?
A. Multivitamin
B. Acetaminophen
C. Insulin infusion
D. Oral calcium carbonate
Answer: C. Insulin infusion
Rationale: Insulin is a high-alert medication. Independent verification is
commonly required for insulin doses, especially continuous infusions.
8. A nurse is administering an oral medication to a patient who has
difficulty swallowing. What is the safest action?
A. Crush every tablet
B. Mix all medications together
C. Verify whether the medication can be crushed
D. Ask the patient to swallow the tablet whole
Answer: C. Verify whether the medication can be crushed
Rationale: Extended-release, enteric-coated, sublingual, and certain other
medications should not be crushed because doing so can alter absorption or
cause toxicity.
9. Which medication form should generally not be crushed?
A. Immediate-release tablet
B. Enteric-coated tablet
C. Chewable tablet
D. Scored tablet that is approved for splitting
Answer: B. Enteric-coated tablet
, Rationale: Crushing an enteric-coated tablet can destroy the protective
coating and cause the medication to be released prematurely.
10.A patient states, "This pill looks different from the one I usually take."
What should the nurse do?
A. Tell the patient that the pharmacy changed the appearance
B. Administer the medication because it is listed on the MAR
C. Stop and verify the medication before administering it
D. Tell the patient that medications may look different in the hospital
Answer: C. Stop and verify the medication before administering it
Rationale: Patients can identify medication discrepancies. The nurse should
investigate any concern about a medication before administration.
11.Which action is appropriate when administering a medication through an
enteral feeding tube?
A. Crush all medications together
B. Mix medications directly into the feeding formula
C. Verify tube placement and medication compatibility
D. Flush the tube only after all medications are given
Answer: C. Verify tube placement and medication compatibility
Rationale: Medication administration through feeding tubes requires
appropriate verification, flushing, and assessment of whether each
medication is suitable for tube administration.
12.A nurse is preparing medications for several patients. Which practice is
safest?
A. Prepare all patients' medications at once
B. Prepare medications for one patient at a time
C. Leave prepared medications unattended
D. Remove medications from packages before checking the MAR
Answer: B. Prepare medications for one patient at a time
Rationale: Preparing medications for one patient at a time decreases the risk
of mixing medications or patients.
