Medication Administration

Question 1

What are the 10 rights of medication administration?

Answer 1

Drug, dose, patient, assessment, route, time, reason, right to refuse medication, documentation, patient education, evaluation

Question 2

What are the 11 principles of drug administration?

Answer 2

Follow rights consistently
Learn essential information about the medications that are passed
Interpret prescriber’s orders accurately
Read medication labels carefully
Minimize abbreviation use to prevent errors
Calculate doses accurately
Measure doses accurately
Use correct procedures and techniques for all administration routes
Learn about the patient’s diagnoses and conditions in relation to medication admin
Omit/delay doses as indicated by patient’s condition and document accordingly
Use caution when administering meds to children and elderly

Question 3

Legal responsibilities of the RN during medication administration

Answer 3

Safe, accurate administration
Recognizing and questioning erroneous orders
Refusing to administer unsafe medications
Delegating in compliance with the law
Report all med errors
Safe storage and handling of all meds

Question 4

What can medication errors result in

Answer 4

Serious illness

Conditions that prolong hospitalization or require additional treatment

Question 5

Common medication errors include

Answer 5

Giving an incorrect dose
Not giving an ordered medication
Giving an unordered medication

Question 6

What must medication orders include?

Answer 6

Patient’s full name
Name of the med - generic, brand
Dose, route, and frequency of administration
Date, time, and signature of the prescriber

Question 7

What are the benefits of controlled release delivery systems?

Answer 7

Enteric coated to prevent stomach upset
Maintain more consistent serum drug levels
Allow less frequent administration

Question 8

Nursing consideration for controlled release meds

Answer 8

Never crush or chew

Question 9

What does the gauge of a needle indicate?

Answer 9

Lumen size

Bigger the number, the smaller the lumen

Question 10

Typical IM injection needle gauge

Answer 10

20-22 for adults

Question 11

Typical SQ injection needle gauge

Answer 11

25-27 in adults

Question 12

Typical transdermal injection needle gauge

Answer 12

27 in adults

Question 13

What does the length of a needle used for injection depend on?

Answer 13

Route of administration
Thickness of solution
Size of patient

Question 14

Injection sites for SQ

Answer 14

Upper arms - lateral posterior
Abdomen
Back - scapula
Thighs

Question 15

Injection sites for IM

Answer 15

Deltoid
Dorsogluteal
Ventrogluteal
Vastus lateralis

Question 16

IV injection sites

Answer 16

Back of hands

Forearms

Question 17

Other injection sites RNs can do

Answer 17

Intradermal

Intra-arterial

Question 18

Common causes of medication errors

Answer 18

Heavy workload
Interruptions
Distractions

Question 19

What questions does the Just Culture model of accountability ask?

Answer 19

Was the clinician knowingly impaired?
Did the clinician consciously engage in an unsafe act?
Did the clinician make a mistake that three other clinicians with similar experience are likely to make under the same circumstances?
Does the clinician have a history of committing unsafe acts?