Medication Administration Nursing Questions with Rationales
1. 1) A nurse instructs a patient to close the eyes after the administration of
eye drops. Which rationale for this instruction should the nurse explain to the
patient?
1. Limits corneal irritation
2. Squeezes excess medication from the eyes
3. Disperses the medication over the eyeballs
4. Prevents medication from entering the lacrimal duct:
Answer: 1.
Rationale:
Closing the eyes moves the medications over the conjunctiva and
eyeball and helps ensure an even distribution of medication.
2. 3) A nurse is preparing to reconstitute a medication in a multi dose
vial. Which is the MOST essential step in the preparation of this
medication?
1. Instilling an accurate amount of diluent into the vial
2. Using a filtered needle when drawing up the medication from the vial
3. Instilling air into the vial before withdrawing the constituted solution
4. Wiping the rubber seal of the vial with alcohol before and after each
needle insertion: Answer:
1
Rationale:
The required amount of diluent must be followed exactly in a multi-dose
formulation to ensure accurate dosage. preparation. The diluent for a
,single-dose formulation also must be exact so that the medication is
diluted enough not to injure body tissues.
3. 4) Which characteristic is associated with a sub cut injection of 5,000 units
of heparin?
1. 3-mL syringe
2. 22-gauge needle
3. 1 1/2 inch needle length
4. 90-degree angle of insertion: Answer:
4
Rationale:
A 1/2 inch needle inserted at a 90-degree angle will ensure that the
heparin is inserted into subcutaneous tissue.
4. 6) A primary health care provider prescribes a medication that must be
administered via the IM route. Which site should the nurse eliminate from
con- sideration because it has the HIGHEST potential for injury when
administering an IM injection?
1. Vastus lateralis
2. Rectus femoris
3. Ventrogluteal
4. Dorsogluteal: Answer:
4
Rationale:
The dorsogluteal site has the highest risk for injury because of the close
proximity of the sciatic nerve, blood vessels, and bone.
, 5. 7) Which information about a parenteral medication indicates that the
nurse should use a filtered needle when preparing the medication?
1. Has to be reconstitued
2. Is supplied in an ampule
3. Appears cloudy in the vial
4. Is to be mixed with another medication: Answer:
2
Rationale:
The top of an ampule must be snapped off at its neck to access the
fluid. A filtered needle prevents glass particles from being drawn into
the syringe.
6. 8) Which should the nurse use when administering a sub cut injection?
1. 5-mL syringe
2. 25-gauge needle
3. Tuberculin syringe
4. 1 1/2-inch-long needle: Answer:
2
Rationale:
A sub cut injection should use a 25-29 gauge needle, which minimizes
tissue trauma. The diameter of a needle is referred to as its gauge,
which ranges from 28 (small) to 14 (large)
7. 9) When the nurse brings pills to a patient, the patient is unable to hold
the paper cup with the medication. Which should the nurse do?
1. Crush the pills and mix them with applesauce
2. Use the paper cup to introduce the pills into the patient's mouth
1. 1) A nurse instructs a patient to close the eyes after the administration of
eye drops. Which rationale for this instruction should the nurse explain to the
patient?
1. Limits corneal irritation
2. Squeezes excess medication from the eyes
3. Disperses the medication over the eyeballs
4. Prevents medication from entering the lacrimal duct:
Answer: 1.
Rationale:
Closing the eyes moves the medications over the conjunctiva and
eyeball and helps ensure an even distribution of medication.
2. 3) A nurse is preparing to reconstitute a medication in a multi dose
vial. Which is the MOST essential step in the preparation of this
medication?
1. Instilling an accurate amount of diluent into the vial
2. Using a filtered needle when drawing up the medication from the vial
3. Instilling air into the vial before withdrawing the constituted solution
4. Wiping the rubber seal of the vial with alcohol before and after each
needle insertion: Answer:
1
Rationale:
The required amount of diluent must be followed exactly in a multi-dose
formulation to ensure accurate dosage. preparation. The diluent for a
,single-dose formulation also must be exact so that the medication is
diluted enough not to injure body tissues.
3. 4) Which characteristic is associated with a sub cut injection of 5,000 units
of heparin?
1. 3-mL syringe
2. 22-gauge needle
3. 1 1/2 inch needle length
4. 90-degree angle of insertion: Answer:
4
Rationale:
A 1/2 inch needle inserted at a 90-degree angle will ensure that the
heparin is inserted into subcutaneous tissue.
4. 6) A primary health care provider prescribes a medication that must be
administered via the IM route. Which site should the nurse eliminate from
con- sideration because it has the HIGHEST potential for injury when
administering an IM injection?
1. Vastus lateralis
2. Rectus femoris
3. Ventrogluteal
4. Dorsogluteal: Answer:
4
Rationale:
The dorsogluteal site has the highest risk for injury because of the close
proximity of the sciatic nerve, blood vessels, and bone.
, 5. 7) Which information about a parenteral medication indicates that the
nurse should use a filtered needle when preparing the medication?
1. Has to be reconstitued
2. Is supplied in an ampule
3. Appears cloudy in the vial
4. Is to be mixed with another medication: Answer:
2
Rationale:
The top of an ampule must be snapped off at its neck to access the
fluid. A filtered needle prevents glass particles from being drawn into
the syringe.
6. 8) Which should the nurse use when administering a sub cut injection?
1. 5-mL syringe
2. 25-gauge needle
3. Tuberculin syringe
4. 1 1/2-inch-long needle: Answer:
2
Rationale:
A sub cut injection should use a 25-29 gauge needle, which minimizes
tissue trauma. The diameter of a needle is referred to as its gauge,
which ranges from 28 (small) to 14 (large)
7. 9) When the nurse brings pills to a patient, the patient is unable to hold
the paper cup with the medication. Which should the nurse do?
1. Crush the pills and mix them with applesauce
2. Use the paper cup to introduce the pills into the patient's mouth
