Chapter 06 Medication Errors: Preventing and Responding
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which situation is an example of a medication error?
a. A patient refuses her morning medications.
b. A patient receives a double dose of a medication because the nurse did not cut the pill in half. c.
A patient develops hives after starting an intravenous antibiotic 24 hours earlier.
d. A patient reports severe pain still present 60 minutes after a pain medication was given.
ANS: B
A medication error is defined as a preventable adverse drug event that involves inappropriate medication
use by a patient or health care provider. Refusing morning medications and reporting severe pain after
having been given medication are examples of patient behaviours. The development of hives
is a possible allergic reaction. None of these situations is preventable. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
2. Which is the proper notation for the dose of the drug ordered?
a. digoxin .125 mg b. digoxin .1250 mg c. digoxin 0.125 mg
d. digoxin 0.1250 mg
ANS: C
Always use a leading zero for decimal dosages (e.g., digoxin 0.125 mg) with medication orders or their
transcription. Omitting the leading zero may cause the order to be misread, resulting in a large drug
overdose. Never use trailing zeros.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
, 3. When the nurse is giving a scheduled morning medication, the patient states, “I haven’t seen that pill
before. Are you sure it’s correct?” The nurse checks the medication administration record and sees that
medication is listed. Which is the nurse’s best response to the patient?
a. “It’s listed here on the medication sheet, so you should take it.”
b. “Go ahead and take it, and then I’ll check with your doctor about it.”
c. “It wouldn’t be listed here if it wasn’t ordered for you!”
d. “I’ll check on the order first, before you take it.”
ANS: D
When giving medications, the nurse must always listen to and honour any concerns or doubts expressed
by the patient. If the patient doubts an order, the nurse should check the written order, check with the
prescriber, or both. The other options included with this example illustrate the nurse’s not listening to the
patient’s concerns.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
4. The physician has written admission orders, and the nurse is transcribing them. The nurse is having
difficulty transcribing one order because of the physician’s handwriting. The best action for the nurse to
take is to
a. ask a colleague what the order says.
b. contact the physician to clarify the order. c. contact the pharmacy to clarify the order.
d. ask the patient what medications are being taken at home.
ANS: B
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which situation is an example of a medication error?
a. A patient refuses her morning medications.
b. A patient receives a double dose of a medication because the nurse did not cut the pill in half. c.
A patient develops hives after starting an intravenous antibiotic 24 hours earlier.
d. A patient reports severe pain still present 60 minutes after a pain medication was given.
ANS: B
A medication error is defined as a preventable adverse drug event that involves inappropriate medication
use by a patient or health care provider. Refusing morning medications and reporting severe pain after
having been given medication are examples of patient behaviours. The development of hives
is a possible allergic reaction. None of these situations is preventable. DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
2. Which is the proper notation for the dose of the drug ordered?
a. digoxin .125 mg b. digoxin .1250 mg c. digoxin 0.125 mg
d. digoxin 0.1250 mg
ANS: C
Always use a leading zero for decimal dosages (e.g., digoxin 0.125 mg) with medication orders or their
transcription. Omitting the leading zero may cause the order to be misread, resulting in a large drug
overdose. Never use trailing zeros.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
, 3. When the nurse is giving a scheduled morning medication, the patient states, “I haven’t seen that pill
before. Are you sure it’s correct?” The nurse checks the medication administration record and sees that
medication is listed. Which is the nurse’s best response to the patient?
a. “It’s listed here on the medication sheet, so you should take it.”
b. “Go ahead and take it, and then I’ll check with your doctor about it.”
c. “It wouldn’t be listed here if it wasn’t ordered for you!”
d. “I’ll check on the order first, before you take it.”
ANS: D
When giving medications, the nurse must always listen to and honour any concerns or doubts expressed
by the patient. If the patient doubts an order, the nurse should check the written order, check with the
prescriber, or both. The other options included with this example illustrate the nurse’s not listening to the
patient’s concerns.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
4. The physician has written admission orders, and the nurse is transcribing them. The nurse is having
difficulty transcribing one order because of the physician’s handwriting. The best action for the nurse to
take is to
a. ask a colleague what the order says.
b. contact the physician to clarify the order. c. contact the pharmacy to clarify the order.
d. ask the patient what medications are being taken at home.
ANS: B
