ADMINISTERING
MEDICATIONS: 2025 RELEASE
• AUTHOR(S)DONNA
GAUWITZ
TEST BANK
1
Reference: Ch. 1 — Orientation to Medications — Utilizing
eMAR Technology
Stem: While preparing morning medications on the med-surg
unit, you notice the eMAR shows two different scheduled times
for a patient's antibiotic: 0800 (original order) and 0900
(pharmacy change noted in the activity log). The patient is
stable and waiting. What is the most appropriate nursing
action?
,A. Administer the antibiotic at 0800 per original order because
the patient must receive it on time.
B. Hold the medication and contact the ordering prescriber to
confirm which time is correct before administering.
C. Administer at 0900 because the pharmacy’s activity log
indicates a system change and overrides the original time.
D. Document both times, administer at 0800, and file an
incident report for the discrepancy.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): Contacting the prescriber (or following
agency policy to clarify orders) resolves conflicting eMAR
entries and prevents wrong-time administration. This protects
the patient from timing errors and preserves legal and
professional accountability. Clarification aligns with safe
medication practice and prevents downstream adverse effects
or missed doses.
Rationale — Incorrect (A): Administering per the original order
without resolving the documented change risks giving a dose at
a time that may have been intentionally adjusted, creating
potential harm.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Assuming pharmacy log overrides
prescriber orders is unsafe; the nurse must verify prescriber
intent.
Rationale — Incorrect (D): Administering before clarification
still exposes patient to risk; incident reporting is a later step, not
a substitute for verification.
,Teaching point: Always clarify conflicting eMAR entries with the
prescriber before administering.
Citation: Gauwitz, D. (2025). Administering Medications. Ch. 1.
2
Reference: Ch. 1 — Orientation to Medications — Drug Names
Stem: A 72-year-old patient is prescribed metoprolol tartrate.
During medication reconciliation, the patient reports taking
“Lopressor” at home. The unit's medication administration
record lists “metoprolol succinate.” What should the nurse do
next?
A. Administer the metoprolol succinate as ordered and update
the home medication list to “Lopressor.”
B. Hold all beta-blockers and contact the prescriber for
clarification regarding formulation and dosing.
C. Administer metoprolol succinate and chart the patient’s
report without contacting anyone.
D. Give half the ordered dose of succinate to avoid potential
overdose, then notify the prescriber.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): Metoprolol tartrate and succinate are
different formulations with different dosing frequencies and
equivalent dosing. Holding medication and clarifying prevents
duplication, underdosing, or overdose and fulfills the nurse’s
responsibility for safe reconciliation and prescriber verification.
, Rationale — Incorrect (A): Administering without clarifying
formulation could cause therapeutic failure or toxicity; simply
updating the list is insufficient.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Failing to verify a clinically significant
difference between formulations violates safe practice.
Rationale — Incorrect (D): Arbitrarily altering dose is unsafe
and not an acceptable nursing action.
Teaching point: Verify brand/generic and formulation
differences before administering similar-sounding drugs.
Citation: Gauwitz, D. (2025). Administering Medications. Ch. 1.
3
Reference: Ch. 1 — Orientation to Medications — Brand-Name
vs. Generic-Name Drugs
Stem: The pharmacy delivers a generic antihypertensive that
looks different from the patient’s usual brand, and the patient
refuses it saying, “I only take the branded pill.” The order is for
the generic equivalent. What is the nurse’s best initial
response?
A. Explain that generics are the same and administer the
medication without further discussion.
B. Respect the refusal, document it, and do not give the
medication.
C. Provide patient education about generic equivalence, verify
the order, and offer to contact the prescriber or pharmacist if
MEDICATIONS: 2025 RELEASE
• AUTHOR(S)DONNA
GAUWITZ
TEST BANK
1
Reference: Ch. 1 — Orientation to Medications — Utilizing
eMAR Technology
Stem: While preparing morning medications on the med-surg
unit, you notice the eMAR shows two different scheduled times
for a patient's antibiotic: 0800 (original order) and 0900
(pharmacy change noted in the activity log). The patient is
stable and waiting. What is the most appropriate nursing
action?
,A. Administer the antibiotic at 0800 per original order because
the patient must receive it on time.
B. Hold the medication and contact the ordering prescriber to
confirm which time is correct before administering.
C. Administer at 0900 because the pharmacy’s activity log
indicates a system change and overrides the original time.
D. Document both times, administer at 0800, and file an
incident report for the discrepancy.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): Contacting the prescriber (or following
agency policy to clarify orders) resolves conflicting eMAR
entries and prevents wrong-time administration. This protects
the patient from timing errors and preserves legal and
professional accountability. Clarification aligns with safe
medication practice and prevents downstream adverse effects
or missed doses.
Rationale — Incorrect (A): Administering per the original order
without resolving the documented change risks giving a dose at
a time that may have been intentionally adjusted, creating
potential harm.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Assuming pharmacy log overrides
prescriber orders is unsafe; the nurse must verify prescriber
intent.
Rationale — Incorrect (D): Administering before clarification
still exposes patient to risk; incident reporting is a later step, not
a substitute for verification.
,Teaching point: Always clarify conflicting eMAR entries with the
prescriber before administering.
Citation: Gauwitz, D. (2025). Administering Medications. Ch. 1.
2
Reference: Ch. 1 — Orientation to Medications — Drug Names
Stem: A 72-year-old patient is prescribed metoprolol tartrate.
During medication reconciliation, the patient reports taking
“Lopressor” at home. The unit's medication administration
record lists “metoprolol succinate.” What should the nurse do
next?
A. Administer the metoprolol succinate as ordered and update
the home medication list to “Lopressor.”
B. Hold all beta-blockers and contact the prescriber for
clarification regarding formulation and dosing.
C. Administer metoprolol succinate and chart the patient’s
report without contacting anyone.
D. Give half the ordered dose of succinate to avoid potential
overdose, then notify the prescriber.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): Metoprolol tartrate and succinate are
different formulations with different dosing frequencies and
equivalent dosing. Holding medication and clarifying prevents
duplication, underdosing, or overdose and fulfills the nurse’s
responsibility for safe reconciliation and prescriber verification.
, Rationale — Incorrect (A): Administering without clarifying
formulation could cause therapeutic failure or toxicity; simply
updating the list is insufficient.
Rationale — Incorrect (C): Failing to verify a clinically significant
difference between formulations violates safe practice.
Rationale — Incorrect (D): Arbitrarily altering dose is unsafe
and not an acceptable nursing action.
Teaching point: Verify brand/generic and formulation
differences before administering similar-sounding drugs.
Citation: Gauwitz, D. (2025). Administering Medications. Ch. 1.
3
Reference: Ch. 1 — Orientation to Medications — Brand-Name
vs. Generic-Name Drugs
Stem: The pharmacy delivers a generic antihypertensive that
looks different from the patient’s usual brand, and the patient
refuses it saying, “I only take the branded pill.” The order is for
the generic equivalent. What is the nurse’s best initial
response?
A. Explain that generics are the same and administer the
medication without further discussion.
B. Respect the refusal, document it, and do not give the
medication.
C. Provide patient education about generic equivalence, verify
the order, and offer to contact the prescriber or pharmacist if
