ADMINISTERING
MEDICATIONS: 2025 RELEASE
• AUTHOR(S)DONNA
GAUWITZ
TEST BANK
1
Reference
Ch. 1 — Drug Names & Drug Standards
Stem
A 72-year-old patient with stage 3 chronic kidney disease has a
new medication order: metformin 500 mg PO twice daily. The
eMAR shows the pharmacy dispensed metformin HCl 500 mg
tablets (generic) while the medication label nurse-facing display
shows a brand name your unit rarely uses. The patient asks
whether the medication is “the same drug.” As the nurse, what
is the best response and action?
,A. Tell the patient brand and generic are interchangeable;
administer and document.
B. Hold the medication until the prescriber confirms the brand–
generic substitution.
C. Verify the active ingredient and appearance via an approved
drug reference, confirm with pharmacy if unclear, then
administer if matched.
D. Substitute a medication from the emergency supply that
looks familiar to you.
Correct Answer
C
Rationales
Correct (C): Best practice is to verify the active ingredient and
dosage using an authoritative drug reference and confirm with
pharmacy if there's any uncertainty. This protects the patient
against dispensing errors and respects drug standards about
active ingredient equivalence. Administering after verification
follows safe medication practice.
Incorrect (A): Saying they are interchangeable without
verification ignores potential formulation differences,
manufacturer-specific warnings, or look-alike packaging that can
indicate dispensing error.
Incorrect (B): Holding without first verifying may unnecessarily
delay therapy; verification with a reference is the correct
intermediate step.
,Incorrect (D): Substituting an unfamiliar emergency medication
risks wrong drug/dose errors and violates policy and law.
Teaching Point
Always verify active ingredient and dose with a trusted
reference before administering substitutions.
Citation
Gauwitz, D. (2025). Administering Medications. Ch. 1.
2
Reference
Ch. 1 — Drug References & Utilizing eMAR Technology
Stem
A newly graduated nurse is administering morning meds using
the facility eMAR and notes an allergy alert pop-up for penicillin
on a medication order for amoxicillin. The pop-up includes the
patient’s listed allergy but the medication in the drawer is
labeled amoxicillin/clavulanate. The prescriber’s order in the
eMAR is for amoxicillin 500 mg PO. What should the nurse do
next?
A. Administer the amoxicillin as ordered because the eMAR
shows the order.
B. Contact the prescriber immediately to reconcile the order
and the allergy alert.
C. Remove the allergy from the eMAR since the patient
tolerated penicillin previously per chart.
, D. Give a half dose first to test for reaction, then full dose if no
reaction.
Correct Answer
B
Rationales
Correct (B): The nurse must reconcile conflicting information —
the allergy alert versus the order and the actual product.
Contacting the prescriber (and pharmacy) to clarify the
intended drug, verify allergy history, and consider alternatives is
required to prevent serious hypersensitivity reactions.
Incorrect (A): Administering without resolving the allergy alert
risks causing an allergic reaction and violates safety standards.
Incorrect (C): Removing an allergy without proper
verification/documentation and provider authorization is unsafe
and unlawful.
Incorrect (D): “Test dosing” without prescriber order and
emergency preparedness is unsafe and not an approved
strategy for allergy verification.
Teaching Point
Resolve allergy–order discrepancies with prescriber/pharmacy
before administration.
Citation
Gauwitz, D. (2025). Administering Medications. Ch. 1.
3
MEDICATIONS: 2025 RELEASE
• AUTHOR(S)DONNA
GAUWITZ
TEST BANK
1
Reference
Ch. 1 — Drug Names & Drug Standards
Stem
A 72-year-old patient with stage 3 chronic kidney disease has a
new medication order: metformin 500 mg PO twice daily. The
eMAR shows the pharmacy dispensed metformin HCl 500 mg
tablets (generic) while the medication label nurse-facing display
shows a brand name your unit rarely uses. The patient asks
whether the medication is “the same drug.” As the nurse, what
is the best response and action?
,A. Tell the patient brand and generic are interchangeable;
administer and document.
B. Hold the medication until the prescriber confirms the brand–
generic substitution.
C. Verify the active ingredient and appearance via an approved
drug reference, confirm with pharmacy if unclear, then
administer if matched.
D. Substitute a medication from the emergency supply that
looks familiar to you.
Correct Answer
C
Rationales
Correct (C): Best practice is to verify the active ingredient and
dosage using an authoritative drug reference and confirm with
pharmacy if there's any uncertainty. This protects the patient
against dispensing errors and respects drug standards about
active ingredient equivalence. Administering after verification
follows safe medication practice.
Incorrect (A): Saying they are interchangeable without
verification ignores potential formulation differences,
manufacturer-specific warnings, or look-alike packaging that can
indicate dispensing error.
Incorrect (B): Holding without first verifying may unnecessarily
delay therapy; verification with a reference is the correct
intermediate step.
,Incorrect (D): Substituting an unfamiliar emergency medication
risks wrong drug/dose errors and violates policy and law.
Teaching Point
Always verify active ingredient and dose with a trusted
reference before administering substitutions.
Citation
Gauwitz, D. (2025). Administering Medications. Ch. 1.
2
Reference
Ch. 1 — Drug References & Utilizing eMAR Technology
Stem
A newly graduated nurse is administering morning meds using
the facility eMAR and notes an allergy alert pop-up for penicillin
on a medication order for amoxicillin. The pop-up includes the
patient’s listed allergy but the medication in the drawer is
labeled amoxicillin/clavulanate. The prescriber’s order in the
eMAR is for amoxicillin 500 mg PO. What should the nurse do
next?
A. Administer the amoxicillin as ordered because the eMAR
shows the order.
B. Contact the prescriber immediately to reconcile the order
and the allergy alert.
C. Remove the allergy from the eMAR since the patient
tolerated penicillin previously per chart.
, D. Give a half dose first to test for reaction, then full dose if no
reaction.
Correct Answer
B
Rationales
Correct (B): The nurse must reconcile conflicting information —
the allergy alert versus the order and the actual product.
Contacting the prescriber (and pharmacy) to clarify the
intended drug, verify allergy history, and consider alternatives is
required to prevent serious hypersensitivity reactions.
Incorrect (A): Administering without resolving the allergy alert
risks causing an allergic reaction and violates safety standards.
Incorrect (C): Removing an allergy without proper
verification/documentation and provider authorization is unsafe
and unlawful.
Incorrect (D): “Test dosing” without prescriber order and
emergency preparedness is unsafe and not an approved
strategy for allergy verification.
Teaching Point
Resolve allergy–order discrepancies with prescriber/pharmacy
before administration.
Citation
Gauwitz, D. (2025). Administering Medications. Ch. 1.
3
