Administering Oral Medications Test Questions and
Answers Rated A
How might the nurse safely administer an may be taken with orange juice is the nurse's
extended-release capsule to a patient with primary concern. Although determining whether
dysphagia? the patient's prescribed diet includes orange juice
is appropriate, establishing if the medication may
A. Encourage the patient to drink plenty of water be given with orange juice is more important.
when swallowing the capsule. Asking the dietary aide to order extra orange
B. Open the capsule, and place the contents into juice is not the nurse's best response. The nurse
90 mL (3 fl. oz.) of juice. must establish whether the medications may be
C. Place the capsule in a spoonful of the taken with orange juice before agreeing to the
patient's applesauce. patient's request.
D. Save the capsule to be administered last. -
ANSWER -Place the capsule in a spoonful
of the patient's applesauce. Which statement or question best illustrates the
nurse's understanding of the role of nursing
assistive personnel (NAP) in administering oral
Rationale: Placing the capsule in a spoonful of medications?
the patient's applesauce helps lubricate the
capsule, thereby facilitating the patient's ability to A. "Does the patient need her pain medication?"
swallow it. Although giving the pill whole and B. Please make sure the patient has plenty of
encouraging the patient to drink plenty of water fresh water to take with her pills."
when swallowing it is one way to administer the C. "How much did the pain medication improve
capsule, it is not the safest way. Opening an her pain?"
extended-release capsule is not safe. Changing D. "Stay with the patient until he swallows all the
the sequence in which the medication is pills." - ANSWER -Please make sure the
administered will not make it safer for the patient patient has plenty of fresh water to take with her
to swallow. pills."
The nurse is preparing to administer several oral Rationale: This is the correct answer. The nurse
medications when the patient says he would like may delegate to NAP the task of providing fresh
to take his pills with orange juice. What is the water to a patient. Patient assessment may not
nurse's best response? be delegated to NAP. The nurse may not
delegate to NAP the responsibility of monitoring a
A. Determine whether the patient's prescribed patient during the administration of oral
diet includes orange juice. medications.
B. Establish whether the medications may be
taken with orange juice.
C. Ask the dietary aide to order extra orange The nurse has provided a patient with a PRN oral
juice for the unit. analgesic that may be repeated as needed every
D. Administer the pills with orange juice. - 6 to 8 hours. What is the most appropriate follow-
ANSWER -Establish whether the up action to ensure appropriate pain
medications may be taken with orange juice. management?
A. Reassess the patient's pain in 30 to 40
Rationale: Establishing whether the medications minutes.
1/2
Answers Rated A
How might the nurse safely administer an may be taken with orange juice is the nurse's
extended-release capsule to a patient with primary concern. Although determining whether
dysphagia? the patient's prescribed diet includes orange juice
is appropriate, establishing if the medication may
A. Encourage the patient to drink plenty of water be given with orange juice is more important.
when swallowing the capsule. Asking the dietary aide to order extra orange
B. Open the capsule, and place the contents into juice is not the nurse's best response. The nurse
90 mL (3 fl. oz.) of juice. must establish whether the medications may be
C. Place the capsule in a spoonful of the taken with orange juice before agreeing to the
patient's applesauce. patient's request.
D. Save the capsule to be administered last. -
ANSWER -Place the capsule in a spoonful
of the patient's applesauce. Which statement or question best illustrates the
nurse's understanding of the role of nursing
assistive personnel (NAP) in administering oral
Rationale: Placing the capsule in a spoonful of medications?
the patient's applesauce helps lubricate the
capsule, thereby facilitating the patient's ability to A. "Does the patient need her pain medication?"
swallow it. Although giving the pill whole and B. Please make sure the patient has plenty of
encouraging the patient to drink plenty of water fresh water to take with her pills."
when swallowing it is one way to administer the C. "How much did the pain medication improve
capsule, it is not the safest way. Opening an her pain?"
extended-release capsule is not safe. Changing D. "Stay with the patient until he swallows all the
the sequence in which the medication is pills." - ANSWER -Please make sure the
administered will not make it safer for the patient patient has plenty of fresh water to take with her
to swallow. pills."
The nurse is preparing to administer several oral Rationale: This is the correct answer. The nurse
medications when the patient says he would like may delegate to NAP the task of providing fresh
to take his pills with orange juice. What is the water to a patient. Patient assessment may not
nurse's best response? be delegated to NAP. The nurse may not
delegate to NAP the responsibility of monitoring a
A. Determine whether the patient's prescribed patient during the administration of oral
diet includes orange juice. medications.
B. Establish whether the medications may be
taken with orange juice.
C. Ask the dietary aide to order extra orange The nurse has provided a patient with a PRN oral
juice for the unit. analgesic that may be repeated as needed every
D. Administer the pills with orange juice. - 6 to 8 hours. What is the most appropriate follow-
ANSWER -Establish whether the up action to ensure appropriate pain
medications may be taken with orange juice. management?
A. Reassess the patient's pain in 30 to 40
Rationale: Establishing whether the medications minutes.
1/2
