Chapter 31: Medication Administration

Chapter 31: Medication Administration 1. If a nurse struggles to read a physician’s medication order due to poor handwriting, what should the nurse do next? - a. Call a pharmacist for help with the order. - b. Call the physician for clarification. - c. Seek assistance from the unit manager to interpret the order. - d. Ask the unit secretary for help with the physician's handwriting. Answer: b. Call the physician for clarification. --- 2. A patient has been ordered 2 tablespoons of Milk of Magnesia. How much medication should the nurse administer? - a. 2 mL - b. 5 mL - c. 16 mL - d. 30 mL Answer: d. 30 mL (Calculation: 1 tablespoon = 15 mL, thus 2 tablespoons = 30 mL) --- 3. When administering eardrops to an 8-year-old with an ear infection, how should the nurse position the ear? - a. Outward - b. Back - c. Upward and back - d. Upward and outward Answer: d. Upward and outward (For patients older than 3 years, the ear should be positioned upward and outward.) --- 4. A patient is to receive 500 mg of cephalexin (Keflex) but the pharmacy only sent 250 mg tablets. How many tablets should the nurse give? - a. 1/2 tablet - b. 1 tablet - c. 1 1/2 tablets - d. 2 tablets Answer: d. 2 tablets (Calculation: 500 mg ÷ 250 mg/tablet = 2 tablets.) --- 5. A nurse explains medications to a 4-year-old, but the mother is unsure of one medication. What should the nurse do next? - a. Administer the medications. - b. Use two patient identifiers to confirm. - c. Withhold the medications and verify the orders. - d. Educate the mother about the medications. Answer: c. Withhold the medications and verify the orders. (Concerns from patients or caregivers should always be investigated.) --- 6. A patient is transitioning to home care after hospital discharge. What is a priority for safe medication administration? - a. Schedule follow-up appointments with the physician. - b. Arrange housekeeping services for the patient. - c. Ensure the home care agency understands medication and health teaching needs. - d. Confirm the family knows how to assist with bathing and mouth care. Answer: c. Ensure the home care agency understands medication and health teaching needs. (Collaboration with community resources is essential.) --- 7. A nursing student brings an antibiotic to a patient, and the patient inquires about it. What information should the student provide? - a. Only the physician may provide that information. - b. The student should share the medication name and its purpose. - c. Medication information is confidential and not shareable. - d. The student should tell the patient to consult the assigned nurse. Answer: b. The student should share the medication name and its purpose. (Patients should be informed about their medications.) --- 8. A nurse needs to administer a sustained-release capsule to a patient who cannot swallow pills. What is the nurse's best action? - a. Request a change to a different medication form from the prescriber. - b. Crush the capsule to make it easier to swallow. - c. Conceal the capsule in food. - d. Open the capsule and sprinkle it on pudding. Answer: a. Request a change to a different medication form from the prescriber. (Crushing sustained-release capsules is not permitted.) --- 9. A patient refuses to take a medication. What should the nurse do first? - a. Ask the patient for the reason behind the refusal. - b. Insist that the patient must take the medication. - c. Take the medication back and document the refusal. - d. Inform the patient that the physician knows what’s best. Answer: a. Ask the patient for the reason behind the refusal. (Understanding the patient's perspective is crucial.) --- 10. The nurse receives an order to administer a loop diuretic to manage a patient’s high blood pressure. What determines the route of administration? - a. Hospital policy. - b. Prescriber's orders. - c. Type of medication ordered. - d. Patient’s size and muscle mass. Answer: b. Prescriber's orders. (The prescriber’s order specifies the administration route.) --- 11. If a patient receiving intravenous (IV) medication shows signs of infiltration, what should the nurse do? - a. Continue the IV as is. - b. Apply a warm compress to the area. - c. Stop the medication and follow agency policy. - d. Dismiss the issue, as vesicant infiltration isn’t a concern. Answer: c. Stop the medication and follow agency policy. (Infiltration requires stopping administration and following protocols.) --- 12. If a patient receiving IV fluids develops symptoms such as tenderness, warmth, redness, and pain, what condition should the nurse suspect? - a. Sepsis. - b. Phlebitis. - c. Infiltration. - d. Fluid overload. Answer: b. Phlebitis. (These symptoms indicate inflammation of the vein.) Redness, warmth, and tenderness at the IV site are signs of phlebitis. After seeing a patient, the physician gives a nursing student a verbal order for a new medication. The nursing student first needs to: a. Follow ISMP guidelines for safe medication abbreviations. b. Explain to the physician that the order needs to be given to a registered nurse. c. Write down the order on the patient's order sheet and read it back to the physician. d. Ensure that the six rights of medication administration are followed when giving the medication. ️b