ATI RN DOSAGE CALCULATION AND
MEDICATION ERRORS EXAM PREP 100
COMPREHENSIVE MCQS WITH
RATIONALES
Safe Medication Administration & Error Prevention
1. A nurse is preparing to administer an intravenous
medication. The medication administration record
(MAR) states "Furosemide 40 mg IV push now." The
nurse notes that the prescription does not state the rate
of administration. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take?
A. Administer the medication over 1 to 2 minutes as per standard
protocol.
B. Contact the provider to clarify the rate of administration.
C. Look up the medication in a nursing drug handbook and
administer it accordingly.
D. Hold the medication and fill out an incident report.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: To prevent medication errors, a complete
prescription must include the medication name, dose, route,
frequency, and specific parameters like rate of administration if
applicable to safety. While a drug guide provides standard rates,
clarifying an incomplete prescription directly with the provider
ensures compliance with safety rights.
2. A nurse is reviewing a newly written electronic
prescription: "Digoxin .125 mg PO daily." Which of the
,following modifications should the nurse request to
prevent a medication error?
A. Change the route to intravenous.
B. Add a leading zero before the decimal point to read "0.125 mg".
C. Change the frequency to twice daily.
D. Spell out "mg" as milligrams.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: Naked decimals (e.g., .125 mg) are a leading
cause of misinterpretation and tenfold dosing errors because the
decimal point can easily be overlooked. A leading zero must
always precede a decimal point (e.g., 0.125 mg). Trailing zeros
(e.g., 1.0 mg) should never be used.
3. A nurse accidentally administers a patient’s morning
dose of metoprolol to the wrong patient. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take first?
A. Notify the charge nurse and the attending provider
immediately.
B. Complete an institutional incident/occurrence report.
C. Assess the patient’s vital signs, focusing on blood pressure and
heart rate.
D. Document the medication administration error in the patient's
medical record.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATiONAlE: The first action the nurse must take under the
nursing process is to assess the client. In the event of a
medication error, ensuring client safety by checking for adverse
effects (such as bradycardia or hypotension from metoprolol) is
the immediate priority.
,4. A nurse is conducting a medication reconciliation for
a client transitioning from the intensive care unit to a
medical-surgical unit. Which of the following actions
should the nurse prioritize during this process?
A. Update the medical-surgical MAR with all home medications
forgotten during ICU admission.
B. Compare a comprehensive list of the client's current
medications against the newly prescribed transfer orders.
C. Check the pharmacy stock to ensure all required transfer
medications are available.
D. Standardize all medication administration times to match the
medical-surgical unit routine.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: Medication reconciliation involves creating an
accurate list of all medications the client is taking and
comparing it against new prescriptions at transition points to
prevent omission, duplication, dosing errors, or drug
interactions.
5. A nurse is preparing to administer an automated
dispensing cabinet (ADC) high-alert medication. Which
of the following processes is crucial to minimizing errors
before administration?
A. Verbal verification of the drug name with an assistive personnel
(AP).
B. An independent double-check of the medication and
calculation by two licensed nurses.
C. Cross-referencing the drug name with an online medical search
engine.
D. Administering the medication immediately upon withdrawal to
, preserve potency.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: High-alert medications (such as insulin,
heparin, and opioids) carry an increased risk of causing
significant client harm if used in error. Standard safety protocols
require an independent double-check by two qualified clinicians
to catch cognitive or calculation errors.
6. A provider prescribes "Morphine sulfate 4 mg IV
every 4 hours PRN severe pain." The nurse notes the
prescription uses the abbreviation "MS". Which of the
following is the correct action?
A. Administer the morphine as requested since the intent is clear.
B. Clarify the prescription with the provider because "MS" is an
unapproved, error-prone abbreviation.
C. Substitute hydromorphone if morphine is unavailable in the
automated cabinet.
D. Document the abbreviation in the nursing notes as a safety
warning.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: The abbreviation "MS" is on the Joint
Commission's "Do Not Use" list because it can stand for
morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate, leading to catastrophic
errors. The nurse must clarify the written order to ensure
accuracy.
7. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication to a
non-verbal client. Which of the following methods
should the nurse use to properly verify the client's
identity?
MEDICATION ERRORS EXAM PREP 100
COMPREHENSIVE MCQS WITH
RATIONALES
Safe Medication Administration & Error Prevention
1. A nurse is preparing to administer an intravenous
medication. The medication administration record
(MAR) states "Furosemide 40 mg IV push now." The
nurse notes that the prescription does not state the rate
of administration. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take?
A. Administer the medication over 1 to 2 minutes as per standard
protocol.
B. Contact the provider to clarify the rate of administration.
C. Look up the medication in a nursing drug handbook and
administer it accordingly.
D. Hold the medication and fill out an incident report.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: To prevent medication errors, a complete
prescription must include the medication name, dose, route,
frequency, and specific parameters like rate of administration if
applicable to safety. While a drug guide provides standard rates,
clarifying an incomplete prescription directly with the provider
ensures compliance with safety rights.
2. A nurse is reviewing a newly written electronic
prescription: "Digoxin .125 mg PO daily." Which of the
,following modifications should the nurse request to
prevent a medication error?
A. Change the route to intravenous.
B. Add a leading zero before the decimal point to read "0.125 mg".
C. Change the frequency to twice daily.
D. Spell out "mg" as milligrams.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: Naked decimals (e.g., .125 mg) are a leading
cause of misinterpretation and tenfold dosing errors because the
decimal point can easily be overlooked. A leading zero must
always precede a decimal point (e.g., 0.125 mg). Trailing zeros
(e.g., 1.0 mg) should never be used.
3. A nurse accidentally administers a patient’s morning
dose of metoprolol to the wrong patient. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take first?
A. Notify the charge nurse and the attending provider
immediately.
B. Complete an institutional incident/occurrence report.
C. Assess the patient’s vital signs, focusing on blood pressure and
heart rate.
D. Document the medication administration error in the patient's
medical record.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATiONAlE: The first action the nurse must take under the
nursing process is to assess the client. In the event of a
medication error, ensuring client safety by checking for adverse
effects (such as bradycardia or hypotension from metoprolol) is
the immediate priority.
,4. A nurse is conducting a medication reconciliation for
a client transitioning from the intensive care unit to a
medical-surgical unit. Which of the following actions
should the nurse prioritize during this process?
A. Update the medical-surgical MAR with all home medications
forgotten during ICU admission.
B. Compare a comprehensive list of the client's current
medications against the newly prescribed transfer orders.
C. Check the pharmacy stock to ensure all required transfer
medications are available.
D. Standardize all medication administration times to match the
medical-surgical unit routine.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: Medication reconciliation involves creating an
accurate list of all medications the client is taking and
comparing it against new prescriptions at transition points to
prevent omission, duplication, dosing errors, or drug
interactions.
5. A nurse is preparing to administer an automated
dispensing cabinet (ADC) high-alert medication. Which
of the following processes is crucial to minimizing errors
before administration?
A. Verbal verification of the drug name with an assistive personnel
(AP).
B. An independent double-check of the medication and
calculation by two licensed nurses.
C. Cross-referencing the drug name with an online medical search
engine.
D. Administering the medication immediately upon withdrawal to
, preserve potency.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: High-alert medications (such as insulin,
heparin, and opioids) carry an increased risk of causing
significant client harm if used in error. Standard safety protocols
require an independent double-check by two qualified clinicians
to catch cognitive or calculation errors.
6. A provider prescribes "Morphine sulfate 4 mg IV
every 4 hours PRN severe pain." The nurse notes the
prescription uses the abbreviation "MS". Which of the
following is the correct action?
A. Administer the morphine as requested since the intent is clear.
B. Clarify the prescription with the provider because "MS" is an
unapproved, error-prone abbreviation.
C. Substitute hydromorphone if morphine is unavailable in the
automated cabinet.
D. Document the abbreviation in the nursing notes as a safety
warning.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: The abbreviation "MS" is on the Joint
Commission's "Do Not Use" list because it can stand for
morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate, leading to catastrophic
errors. The nurse must clarify the written order to ensure
accuracy.
7. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication to a
non-verbal client. Which of the following methods
should the nurse use to properly verify the client's
identity?
