Advanced Topics in Medication Safety — Block 2
ADVANCED TOPICS IN MEDICATION SAFETY – BLOCK 2 | EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS | VERIFIED PHARMACY AND
PATIENT SAFETY | 2026/2027
ADVANCED TOPICS IN MEDICATION SAFETY
BLOCK 2 EXAMINATION
Doctor of Pharmacy Program
1. The Institute of Medicine report To Err Is Human (1999) estimated
that medical errors caused how many deaths per year in U.S. hospitals?
A. 10,000 to 20,000
B. 500,000 to 750,000
C. 44,000 to 98,000
D. 150,000 to 250,000
C. 44,000 to 98,000
The report extrapolated from the Colorado/Utah and New York studies
to 44,000–98,000 annual hospital deaths, launching the modern patient
safety movement.
Page 1 of 60
, Advanced Topics in Medication Safety — Block 2
2. Which statement best defines a medication error according to the
NCC MERP?
A. Any noxious and unintended response to a drug at normal doses
B. Any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate
medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of
the professional, patient, or consumer
C. Any injury resulting from medical intervention related to a drug
D. Any event that results in permanent patient harm
B. Any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate
medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the
control of the professional, patient, or consumer
NCC MERP defines a medication error by preventability and the
potential for inappropriate use or harm, regardless of whether harm
actually occurs.
3. An adverse drug reaction (ADR) differs from a medication error
mainly because an ADR:
A. Is always preventable
B. Never results in patient harm
C. Is only reported to the Joint Commission
D. Occurs with appropriate use of a drug at a normal dose
D. Occurs with appropriate use of a drug at a normal dose
An ADR is an unintended response at normal doses with appropriate
use, whereas a medication error involves a preventable deviation.
4. Under the NCC MERP Index, an error that reached the patient and
required monitoring to confirm no harm and/or intervention to
preclude harm is classified as Category:
A. B
B. D
C. E
D. F
B. D
Category D is an error reaching the patient that requires monitoring or
intervention to prevent harm.
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, Advanced Topics in Medication Safety — Block 2
5. A nurse catches an incorrect dose before it is administered. Under
the NCC MERP Index, this is Category:
A. C
B. D
C. A
D. B
D. B
Category B is an error that occurred but did not reach the patient.
6. Which NCC MERP category describes circumstances or events that
have the capacity to cause error?
A. Category A
B. Category B
C. Category I
D. Category C
A. Category A
Category A captures capacity for error, such as two look-alike vials
stored side by side.
7. An error that may have contributed to or resulted in a patient's
death is NCC MERP Category:
A. H
B. F
C. G
D. I
D. I
Category I is the most severe category and represents an error
contributing to death.
8. An error that required intervention to sustain the patient's life (e.g.,
intubation after an opioid overdose) is NCC MERP Category:
A. E
B. F
C. G
D. H
D. H
Category H covers errors requiring intervention necessary to sustain
life.
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, Advanced Topics in Medication Safety — Block 2
9. An error resulting in temporary harm that required initial or
prolonged hospitalization is NCC MERP Category:
A. F
B. G
C. E
D. D
A. F
Category F involves temporary harm requiring initial or prolonged
hospitalization.
10. An error resulting in permanent patient harm is NCC MERP
Category:
A. H
B. G
C. F
D. E
B. G
Category G is permanent harm.
11. Which of the following is an adverse drug event (ADE)?
A. Two products with similar labels are stored next to each other
B. A pharmacist intercepts a wrong-drug order before dispensing
C. A patient develops hypoglycemia after receiving a tenfold insulin
overdose
D. A prescriber writes a correct order in legible print
C. A patient develops hypoglycemia after receiving a tenfold insulin
overdose
An ADE is an injury resulting from medication use, and this one was also
preventable because it stemmed from an error.
Page 4 of 60
ADVANCED TOPICS IN MEDICATION SAFETY – BLOCK 2 | EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS | VERIFIED PHARMACY AND
PATIENT SAFETY | 2026/2027
ADVANCED TOPICS IN MEDICATION SAFETY
BLOCK 2 EXAMINATION
Doctor of Pharmacy Program
1. The Institute of Medicine report To Err Is Human (1999) estimated
that medical errors caused how many deaths per year in U.S. hospitals?
A. 10,000 to 20,000
B. 500,000 to 750,000
C. 44,000 to 98,000
D. 150,000 to 250,000
C. 44,000 to 98,000
The report extrapolated from the Colorado/Utah and New York studies
to 44,000–98,000 annual hospital deaths, launching the modern patient
safety movement.
Page 1 of 60
, Advanced Topics in Medication Safety — Block 2
2. Which statement best defines a medication error according to the
NCC MERP?
A. Any noxious and unintended response to a drug at normal doses
B. Any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate
medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of
the professional, patient, or consumer
C. Any injury resulting from medical intervention related to a drug
D. Any event that results in permanent patient harm
B. Any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate
medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the
control of the professional, patient, or consumer
NCC MERP defines a medication error by preventability and the
potential for inappropriate use or harm, regardless of whether harm
actually occurs.
3. An adverse drug reaction (ADR) differs from a medication error
mainly because an ADR:
A. Is always preventable
B. Never results in patient harm
C. Is only reported to the Joint Commission
D. Occurs with appropriate use of a drug at a normal dose
D. Occurs with appropriate use of a drug at a normal dose
An ADR is an unintended response at normal doses with appropriate
use, whereas a medication error involves a preventable deviation.
4. Under the NCC MERP Index, an error that reached the patient and
required monitoring to confirm no harm and/or intervention to
preclude harm is classified as Category:
A. B
B. D
C. E
D. F
B. D
Category D is an error reaching the patient that requires monitoring or
intervention to prevent harm.
Page 2 of 60
, Advanced Topics in Medication Safety — Block 2
5. A nurse catches an incorrect dose before it is administered. Under
the NCC MERP Index, this is Category:
A. C
B. D
C. A
D. B
D. B
Category B is an error that occurred but did not reach the patient.
6. Which NCC MERP category describes circumstances or events that
have the capacity to cause error?
A. Category A
B. Category B
C. Category I
D. Category C
A. Category A
Category A captures capacity for error, such as two look-alike vials
stored side by side.
7. An error that may have contributed to or resulted in a patient's
death is NCC MERP Category:
A. H
B. F
C. G
D. I
D. I
Category I is the most severe category and represents an error
contributing to death.
8. An error that required intervention to sustain the patient's life (e.g.,
intubation after an opioid overdose) is NCC MERP Category:
A. E
B. F
C. G
D. H
D. H
Category H covers errors requiring intervention necessary to sustain
life.
Page 3 of 60
, Advanced Topics in Medication Safety — Block 2
9. An error resulting in temporary harm that required initial or
prolonged hospitalization is NCC MERP Category:
A. F
B. G
C. E
D. D
A. F
Category F involves temporary harm requiring initial or prolonged
hospitalization.
10. An error resulting in permanent patient harm is NCC MERP
Category:
A. H
B. G
C. F
D. E
B. G
Category G is permanent harm.
11. Which of the following is an adverse drug event (ADE)?
A. Two products with similar labels are stored next to each other
B. A pharmacist intercepts a wrong-drug order before dispensing
C. A patient develops hypoglycemia after receiving a tenfold insulin
overdose
D. A prescriber writes a correct order in legible print
C. A patient develops hypoglycemia after receiving a tenfold insulin
overdose
An ADE is an injury resulting from medication use, and this one was also
preventable because it stemmed from an error.
Page 4 of 60
