MEDICATION AIDE EXAM SCRIPT 2026
UPDATED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
▶ A nurse is caring for several clients at risk for overhydration. The nurse
assesses the older client with which finding first?
A) Has had diabetes mellitus for 12 years
B) Had abdominal surgery and has a nasogastric tube
C) Just received 3 units of packed red blood cells
D) Uses sodium-containing antacids frequently. Answer: C
Blood replacement therapy involves intravenous fluid administration, which
inherently increases the risk for overhydration. The fact that the fluid
consists of packed red blood cells greatly increases the risk, because this
fluid increases the colloidal oncotic pressure of the blood, causing fluid to
move from interstitial and intracellular spaces into the plasma volume. An
older adult may not have sufficient cardiac or renal reserve to manage this
extra fluid.
▶ The client with a stroke was admitted to a medical-surgical unit. Which
tasks does the nurse delegate to the unlicensed assistive personnel?
A) Assess level of consciousness.
B) Evaluate the pulse oximetry reading.
C) Assist the client with meals.
D) Complete the nursing care plan.. Answer: C
The nurse needs to know the five rights of delegation: right task, right
circumstances, right person, right communication, and right supervision.
Unlicensed assistive personnel can help with feeding, but only the nurse
can care plan, assess the level of consciousness, and evaluate the
oxygenation of the client.
▶ Interrelated concepts to the professional nursing role a nurse manager
would consider when addressing concerns about the quality of patient
education include:
,A) adherence.
B) developmental level.
C) motivation.
D) technology.. Answer: D
The interrelated concepts to the professional role of a nurse include health
promotion, leadership, technology/informatics, quality, collaboration, and
communication. Adherence, culture, developmental level, family dynamics,
and motivation are considered interrelated concepts to patient attributes
and preference.
▶ During orientation to an emergency department, the nurse educator
would be concerned if the new nurse listed which of the following as a risk
factor for impaired thermoregulation?
A) Temperature extremes
B) Occupational exposure
C) Impaired cognition
D) Physical agility. Answer: D
Physical agility is not a risk factor for impaired thermoregulation. The nurse
educator would use this information to plan additional teaching to include
medical conditions and gait disturbance as risk factors for hypothermia,
because their bodies have a reduced ability to generate heat. Impaired
cognition is a risk factor. Recreational or occupational exposure is a risk
factor. Temperature extremes are risk factors for impaired
thermoregulation.
▶ An older adult client is in physical restraints. Which intervention by the
nurse is the priority?
A) Assess the client hourly while keeping the restraints in place.
B) Assess the client once each shift, releasing the restraints for feeding.
C) Assess the client twice each shift while keeping the restraints in place.
D) Assess the client every 30 to 60 minutes, releasing restraints every 2
hours.. Answer: D
The application of restraints can have serious consequences. Thus, the
nurse should check the client every 30 to 60 minutes, releasing the
restraints every 2 hours for positioning and toileting. The other answers
,would not be appropriate because the client would not be assessed
frequently enough, and circulation to the limbs could be compromised.
Assessing every hour and releasing the restraints every 2 hours is in
compliance with federal policy for monitoring clients in restraints.
▶ The nurse is assessing a client with a long-term history of arthritic pain.
Assessment reveals a heart rate of 115 beats/min and blood pressure of
170/80 mm Hg. Which intervention will the nurse carry out first?
A) Administer blood pressure medication.
B) Administer a drug to lower the heart rate.
C) Continue to assess for possible causes of elevated vital signs.
D) Assess whether the client needs anti-arthritis medication.. Answer: C
Arthritis is categorized as chronic pain. With chronic pain, the body adapts
by blocking the sympathetic nervous system; this normally causes
tachycardia and increased blood pressure. Therefore, this client's high
blood pressure and heart rate are not caused by chronic pain and may be a
result of a more acute type of pain. Therefore, the best intervention is for
the nurse to establish whether the client is having pain other than arthritic
pain, and then to decide which intervention should be carried out.
▶ The nurse is assigned to care for the following four clients who have the
potential for having pain. Which client is most likely not to be treated
adequately for this problem?
A) Middle-aged woman with a fractured arm
B) Client with expressive aphasia
C) Younger adult with metastatic cancer
D) Client who has undergone an appendectomy. Answer: B
Populations at highest risk for inadequate pain treatment include older
adults, minorities, and those with a history of substance abuse. Nonverbal
clients are very difficult to assess for pain because self-report is not
possible, and the nurse needs to rely on client behaviors or surrogate
reporting.
▶ Before surgery, the nurse observes the client listening to music on the
radio. Based on this observation, the nurse may try which
nonpharmacologic intervention for pain relief in the postoperative setting?
, A) Cutaneous skin stimulation
B) Imagery
C) Radiofrequency ablation
D) Hypnosis. Answer: B
Imagery is a form of distraction in which the client is encouraged to
visualize about some pleasant or desirable feeling, sensation, or event.
Behaviors that are helpful in assessing a client's capacity for imagery
include being able to listen to music or other auditory stimuli.
▶ What interrelated constructs facilitate a nurse to become culturally
competent?
A) Cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural skill
B) Cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural
diversity
C) Cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural identity
D) Cultural diversity, self-awareness, cultural skill, and cultural knowledge.
Answer: A
The process of cultural competence consists of four interrelated constructs:
cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural skill.
Cultural diversity in the context of health care refers to achieving the
highest level of health care for all people by addressing societal inequalities
and historical and contemporary injustices. Cultural identity is the norms,
values, beliefs, and behaviors of a culture learned through families and
group members.
▶ The emphasis on understanding cultural influence on health care is
important because of:
A) disability entitlements.
B) HIPAA requirements.
C) litigious society.
D) increasing global diversity.. Answer: D
Culture is an essential aspect of health care because of increasing
diversity. Disability entitlements refer to defined benefits for eligible mental
or physically disabled beneficiaries in relation to housing, employment, and
UPDATED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
▶ A nurse is caring for several clients at risk for overhydration. The nurse
assesses the older client with which finding first?
A) Has had diabetes mellitus for 12 years
B) Had abdominal surgery and has a nasogastric tube
C) Just received 3 units of packed red blood cells
D) Uses sodium-containing antacids frequently. Answer: C
Blood replacement therapy involves intravenous fluid administration, which
inherently increases the risk for overhydration. The fact that the fluid
consists of packed red blood cells greatly increases the risk, because this
fluid increases the colloidal oncotic pressure of the blood, causing fluid to
move from interstitial and intracellular spaces into the plasma volume. An
older adult may not have sufficient cardiac or renal reserve to manage this
extra fluid.
▶ The client with a stroke was admitted to a medical-surgical unit. Which
tasks does the nurse delegate to the unlicensed assistive personnel?
A) Assess level of consciousness.
B) Evaluate the pulse oximetry reading.
C) Assist the client with meals.
D) Complete the nursing care plan.. Answer: C
The nurse needs to know the five rights of delegation: right task, right
circumstances, right person, right communication, and right supervision.
Unlicensed assistive personnel can help with feeding, but only the nurse
can care plan, assess the level of consciousness, and evaluate the
oxygenation of the client.
▶ Interrelated concepts to the professional nursing role a nurse manager
would consider when addressing concerns about the quality of patient
education include:
,A) adherence.
B) developmental level.
C) motivation.
D) technology.. Answer: D
The interrelated concepts to the professional role of a nurse include health
promotion, leadership, technology/informatics, quality, collaboration, and
communication. Adherence, culture, developmental level, family dynamics,
and motivation are considered interrelated concepts to patient attributes
and preference.
▶ During orientation to an emergency department, the nurse educator
would be concerned if the new nurse listed which of the following as a risk
factor for impaired thermoregulation?
A) Temperature extremes
B) Occupational exposure
C) Impaired cognition
D) Physical agility. Answer: D
Physical agility is not a risk factor for impaired thermoregulation. The nurse
educator would use this information to plan additional teaching to include
medical conditions and gait disturbance as risk factors for hypothermia,
because their bodies have a reduced ability to generate heat. Impaired
cognition is a risk factor. Recreational or occupational exposure is a risk
factor. Temperature extremes are risk factors for impaired
thermoregulation.
▶ An older adult client is in physical restraints. Which intervention by the
nurse is the priority?
A) Assess the client hourly while keeping the restraints in place.
B) Assess the client once each shift, releasing the restraints for feeding.
C) Assess the client twice each shift while keeping the restraints in place.
D) Assess the client every 30 to 60 minutes, releasing restraints every 2
hours.. Answer: D
The application of restraints can have serious consequences. Thus, the
nurse should check the client every 30 to 60 minutes, releasing the
restraints every 2 hours for positioning and toileting. The other answers
,would not be appropriate because the client would not be assessed
frequently enough, and circulation to the limbs could be compromised.
Assessing every hour and releasing the restraints every 2 hours is in
compliance with federal policy for monitoring clients in restraints.
▶ The nurse is assessing a client with a long-term history of arthritic pain.
Assessment reveals a heart rate of 115 beats/min and blood pressure of
170/80 mm Hg. Which intervention will the nurse carry out first?
A) Administer blood pressure medication.
B) Administer a drug to lower the heart rate.
C) Continue to assess for possible causes of elevated vital signs.
D) Assess whether the client needs anti-arthritis medication.. Answer: C
Arthritis is categorized as chronic pain. With chronic pain, the body adapts
by blocking the sympathetic nervous system; this normally causes
tachycardia and increased blood pressure. Therefore, this client's high
blood pressure and heart rate are not caused by chronic pain and may be a
result of a more acute type of pain. Therefore, the best intervention is for
the nurse to establish whether the client is having pain other than arthritic
pain, and then to decide which intervention should be carried out.
▶ The nurse is assigned to care for the following four clients who have the
potential for having pain. Which client is most likely not to be treated
adequately for this problem?
A) Middle-aged woman with a fractured arm
B) Client with expressive aphasia
C) Younger adult with metastatic cancer
D) Client who has undergone an appendectomy. Answer: B
Populations at highest risk for inadequate pain treatment include older
adults, minorities, and those with a history of substance abuse. Nonverbal
clients are very difficult to assess for pain because self-report is not
possible, and the nurse needs to rely on client behaviors or surrogate
reporting.
▶ Before surgery, the nurse observes the client listening to music on the
radio. Based on this observation, the nurse may try which
nonpharmacologic intervention for pain relief in the postoperative setting?
, A) Cutaneous skin stimulation
B) Imagery
C) Radiofrequency ablation
D) Hypnosis. Answer: B
Imagery is a form of distraction in which the client is encouraged to
visualize about some pleasant or desirable feeling, sensation, or event.
Behaviors that are helpful in assessing a client's capacity for imagery
include being able to listen to music or other auditory stimuli.
▶ What interrelated constructs facilitate a nurse to become culturally
competent?
A) Cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural skill
B) Cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural
diversity
C) Cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural identity
D) Cultural diversity, self-awareness, cultural skill, and cultural knowledge.
Answer: A
The process of cultural competence consists of four interrelated constructs:
cultural desire, self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural skill.
Cultural diversity in the context of health care refers to achieving the
highest level of health care for all people by addressing societal inequalities
and historical and contemporary injustices. Cultural identity is the norms,
values, beliefs, and behaviors of a culture learned through families and
group members.
▶ The emphasis on understanding cultural influence on health care is
important because of:
A) disability entitlements.
B) HIPAA requirements.
C) litigious society.
D) increasing global diversity.. Answer: D
Culture is an essential aspect of health care because of increasing
diversity. Disability entitlements refer to defined benefits for eligible mental
or physically disabled beneficiaries in relation to housing, employment, and
