Clinical Nursing Skills Chapter 5: Oral
and Topical Medication Administration
Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
The nurse is preparing to administer medications to the client. The
client sees the nurse double checking each medication and asks the
nurse what is occurring. What is the nurse's best response? -
correct answer ✅"Checking the medication again to ensure the
right medication is given to you."
Rationale:The purpose of checking the medication is to ensure that
the right medication is going to the right client. Three checks are
completed during medication preparation and administration. The
nurse checks that the pharmacist sent the medication prescribed,
but the pharmacist does not prescribe according to the client's
needs. Though the nurse is responsible for ensuring the provider
does not request a harmful medication or dose to be administered,
it is not in the nurse's scope of practice to ensure the provider
prescribed the correct medication. Though the package should be
checked for an expiration date, this is not part of the triple-checking
process, which is aimed at ensuring the correct medication is given
the correct client at the correct time.
The nurse is caring for a client who has a newly written prescription
for "fluoxetine 20 mg by mouth daily for treatment of depression."
The nurse is unfamiliar with this medication. Which action is most
,Clinical Nursing Skills Chapter 5: Oral
and Topical Medication Administration
Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
appropriate? -
correct answer ✅Consult a professional medication reference
before preparing to administer the medication.
Rationale:The nurse must not administer medications that are
unfamiliar to him or her. The nurse should be able to review
appropriate references, as opposed to consulting a colleague.
The nurse is administering medications to the client. What does the
nurse explain to the client who asks about the checks of medication
administration? Select all that apply. -
correct answer ✅I check the label when taking medication from
the storage area.
"I check the label before removing the medication from its
container."
"I check the label of any medication before administering it to
you."
Rationale:The nurse should check the label when he or she selects
the container or unit dose package; after he or she takes it from the
storage area and compares it with the medication administration
,Clinical Nursing Skills Chapter 5: Oral
and Topical Medication Administration
Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
record; and right before administering the medication to the client.
There is no need to check the label after the pharmacy delivers the
medication if the nurse is not going to administer it at that time.
Labels should be checked before administering to the client.
A nurse has administered a pain medication to the client. What
should the nurse do next? -
correct answer ✅Reassess the client.
Rationale:The most appropriate action after administering pain
medication is to reassess the client for the right response. The
client should not be left alone without access to the call bell and
should be instructed not to get out of bed without help. All four
side rails should not be up; this is a form of restraint.
The nurse administers medication to a client. Which statement by
the nurse is required to satisfy the three checks and rights of
medication administration? -
correct answer ✅"Please tell me your name and date of birth."
Rationale:The minimum number of times the nurse should check
the medication label before administering the medication is three
times: right medication, right client, right route, right dose. Telling
, Clinical Nursing Skills Chapter 5: Oral
and Topical Medication Administration
Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
the client what the name and does of the medication is important,
but this action does not help the nurse directly verify that these
match what is prescribed. It is important to ensure the client can
swallow if oral medications are prescribed, but this does not satisfy
the required checks. The nurse verifies each medication, route, and
dose is for the client when the medication is obtained, prepared,
and administered. The initial checks are performed against the
medication administration record, and the final check is done with
the client's verbal participation and while visualizing the client's
armband information.
The client overhears the nurse reviewing the rights of medication
administration and asks, "Why are you saying, 'right medication,
right client, right route, right dose'?" What is the nurse's best
response? -
correct answer ✅"I review these to make sure your medications
are accurate and correct."
Rationale:Medication errors can be prevented by carefully adhering
to these rights, understanding the important concepts that apply to
each right, and utilizing a nursing drug reference guide to provide
accurate information for each medication administered. Though it
is partially correct, the nurse's goal is not to ensure that everything
and Topical Medication Administration
Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
The nurse is preparing to administer medications to the client. The
client sees the nurse double checking each medication and asks the
nurse what is occurring. What is the nurse's best response? -
correct answer ✅"Checking the medication again to ensure the
right medication is given to you."
Rationale:The purpose of checking the medication is to ensure that
the right medication is going to the right client. Three checks are
completed during medication preparation and administration. The
nurse checks that the pharmacist sent the medication prescribed,
but the pharmacist does not prescribe according to the client's
needs. Though the nurse is responsible for ensuring the provider
does not request a harmful medication or dose to be administered,
it is not in the nurse's scope of practice to ensure the provider
prescribed the correct medication. Though the package should be
checked for an expiration date, this is not part of the triple-checking
process, which is aimed at ensuring the correct medication is given
the correct client at the correct time.
The nurse is caring for a client who has a newly written prescription
for "fluoxetine 20 mg by mouth daily for treatment of depression."
The nurse is unfamiliar with this medication. Which action is most
,Clinical Nursing Skills Chapter 5: Oral
and Topical Medication Administration
Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
appropriate? -
correct answer ✅Consult a professional medication reference
before preparing to administer the medication.
Rationale:The nurse must not administer medications that are
unfamiliar to him or her. The nurse should be able to review
appropriate references, as opposed to consulting a colleague.
The nurse is administering medications to the client. What does the
nurse explain to the client who asks about the checks of medication
administration? Select all that apply. -
correct answer ✅I check the label when taking medication from
the storage area.
"I check the label before removing the medication from its
container."
"I check the label of any medication before administering it to
you."
Rationale:The nurse should check the label when he or she selects
the container or unit dose package; after he or she takes it from the
storage area and compares it with the medication administration
,Clinical Nursing Skills Chapter 5: Oral
and Topical Medication Administration
Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
record; and right before administering the medication to the client.
There is no need to check the label after the pharmacy delivers the
medication if the nurse is not going to administer it at that time.
Labels should be checked before administering to the client.
A nurse has administered a pain medication to the client. What
should the nurse do next? -
correct answer ✅Reassess the client.
Rationale:The most appropriate action after administering pain
medication is to reassess the client for the right response. The
client should not be left alone without access to the call bell and
should be instructed not to get out of bed without help. All four
side rails should not be up; this is a form of restraint.
The nurse administers medication to a client. Which statement by
the nurse is required to satisfy the three checks and rights of
medication administration? -
correct answer ✅"Please tell me your name and date of birth."
Rationale:The minimum number of times the nurse should check
the medication label before administering the medication is three
times: right medication, right client, right route, right dose. Telling
, Clinical Nursing Skills Chapter 5: Oral
and Topical Medication Administration
Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
the client what the name and does of the medication is important,
but this action does not help the nurse directly verify that these
match what is prescribed. It is important to ensure the client can
swallow if oral medications are prescribed, but this does not satisfy
the required checks. The nurse verifies each medication, route, and
dose is for the client when the medication is obtained, prepared,
and administered. The initial checks are performed against the
medication administration record, and the final check is done with
the client's verbal participation and while visualizing the client's
armband information.
The client overhears the nurse reviewing the rights of medication
administration and asks, "Why are you saying, 'right medication,
right client, right route, right dose'?" What is the nurse's best
response? -
correct answer ✅"I review these to make sure your medications
are accurate and correct."
Rationale:Medication errors can be prevented by carefully adhering
to these rights, understanding the important concepts that apply to
each right, and utilizing a nursing drug reference guide to provide
accurate information for each medication administered. Though it
is partially correct, the nurse's goal is not to ensure that everything
