Pharm Flashcards
(49 cards)
- The nurse is preparing to administer a medication that the agency designates as “high alert.” What action should the nurse take?
- Ask another registered nurse to verify the medication.
- Call the pharmacist to check the efficacy of the medication.
- Decline to administer the medication unless there is a physician present.
- Request that the nursing supervisor administer the medication.
- Ask another registered nurse to verify the medication
- Why is the nurse writing out the name of the drug morphine sulfate instead of using the abbreviation MS?
- The hospital has placed MS on its list of do-not-use abbreviations.
- The Joint Commission requires that the abbreviation MS not be used.
- Using the abbreviation MS puts the client at risk of medication error.
- Computerized charting systems will not accept the abbreviation MS.
- Using the abbreviation MS puts the client at risk of medication error.
- The hospitalized client has an order for Tylenol 325 mg 2 tablets every 4 hours prn temperature over 101°F. The client complains of a headache. Can the nurse legally administer Tylenol to treat the headache?
- Yes, as Tylenol is used both for fever and headache.
- No, not unless the client also has a temperature over 101°F.
- Yes, but the nurse should document the reason why the medication was administered as a temperature elevation.
- Yes, because the medication is available over the counter, an order is not required.
- No, not unless the client also has a temperature over 101°F.
- The nurse identifies that the ordered dose for a medication is twice the amount generally administered. What action should the nurse take?
- Administer the medication as it was ordered.
- Check to see if previous shift nurses gave the medication.
- Collaborate with the prescriber about the order.
- Administer only the standard dose of the medication.
- Collaborate with the prescriber about the order.
- The client has required 2 sublingual nitroglycerine tablets that are gr 1/150 per tablet. How many mg of nitroglycerine did the client receive?
Standard Text: Record your answer.
: 0.8 mg or 800 mcg
Rationale: The client received gr 2/150 of NTG. There are 60 mg in 1 grain. To convert, multiply 2/150 x 60 = 120/150 = 0.8 mg or 800 mcg.
- The nurse is preparing to administer a medication to a 6-year-old client. What is the nurse’s priority action?
- Administer the exact dosage as ordered.
- Give the dosage supplied by the pharmacy.
- Verify that the dosage is within the safe range for this child.
- Administer no more than one-half of the safe adult dosage.
- Verify that the dosage is within the safe range for this child.
- During the process of administering medications, the nurse checks the name band for the client’s name. What should be this nurse’s next action?
- Administer the medication as ordered.
- Initial the MAR that the medication will be given.
- Double check the client’s identification using a second method.
- Educate the client regarding the medication to be given.
- Double check the client’s identification using a second method.
- The nurse is planning to administer a bitter-tasting oral medication to a 4-year-old client. What strategy should this nurse plan?
- Give the medication in orange juice or milk to mask the taste.
- Tell the child that the medication tastes good.
- Ask the parents how they give medications at home.
- Get another nurse to assist by holding the client down.
- Ask the parents how they give medications at home.
The nurse is caring for a team of four clients who are seriously ill. One of the clients has just received a new cardiac medication. How should the nurse instruct the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) who is also caring for this client?
- Have the UAP assess for any unexpected effects from the medication.
- Tell the UAP to teach the client’s family what to expect from the medication.
- Have the UAP look the medication up in a drug reference book to read about drug actions and possible side effects.
- Give the UAP specific instructions regarding what drug actions or side effects to report to the nurse.
- Give the UAP specific instructions regarding what drug actions or side effects to report to the nurse.
The nurse is to administer four oral medications to the client via a nasogastric tube. One of the medications is a tablet that has been crushed, one is a capsule that has been opened and the powder removed, and two are supplied in liquid form. How should the nurse administer these medications?
- Flush the tube, mix the crushed tablet and the capsule powder into the two liquids for administration, and follow by flushing the tube.
- Mix the crushed tablet and capsule powder in warm water and administer. Flush the tube and administer the mixed liquids.
- Flush the tube with the mixed liquids first, then administer the crushed tablet and capsule powder mixed in cold water.
- Mix the crushed tablet and capsule powder individually in warm water. Administer each medication separately, flushing the tube before and after each administration.
- Mix the crushed tablet and capsule powder individually in warm water. Administer each medication separately, flushing the tube before and after each administration.
At which point of preparing medication from an ampule does the nurse anticipate using a filter needle?
- Filter needles are not used for this preparation.
- When drawing the medication from the ampule.
- When administering the medication to the client.
- Both for drawing up the medication and for administering the medication.
- When drawing the medication from the ampule.
The client is to receive an intramuscular injection of a medication that is supplied in a 2-mL cartridge and a second medication that is supplied in a vial. The total amount to be administered of these medications exceeds the volume of the cartridge by 0.5 mL. How should the nurse proceed?
- Administer the cartridge medication in one injection and the vial medication in a separate injection.
- Call the pharmacy for advice on administering these medications.
- Draw both of the medications up into a syringe for administration.
- Add as much of the vial medication to the cartridge as possible prior to injection, giving the balance in a separate injection.
- Draw both of the medications up into a syringe for administration.
During administration of an intradermal injection, the nurse notices that the outline of the needle bevel is visible under the client’s skin. How should the nurse proceed?
- Recognize that this is an expected finding in a properly administered intradermal injection.
- Withdraw the needle, prepare a new injection, and start again.
- Insert the needle further into the skin at a deeper angle.
- Turn the needle so that the bevel is down and inject the medication slowly, looking for development of a bleb.
- Recognize that this is an expected finding in a properly administered intradermal injection.
The nurse has just injected insulin subcutaneously into the client’s abdomen. What action should the nurse take at this point?
- Massage the site to encourage absorption.
- Leave the needle embedded in the client’s skin for 5 seconds after administration.
- Remove the needle rapidly by pulling it quickly from the skin.
- Cover the injection site with a pressure dressing for at least 15 minutes or until the bleb disappears.
- Leave the needle embedded in the client’s skin for 5 seconds after administration.
The nurse who is to administer 2.5 mL of intramuscular pain medication to an adult client notes that the previous injection was administered in the right ventrogluteal site. In which site should the nurse plan to administer this injection?
- The same site
- The deltoid
- The left ventrogluteal
- The rectus femoris
- The left ventrogluteal
While administering an intramuscular injection, the nurse notes blood return in the syringe barrel after aspirating. What action should the nurse take?
- Pull the needle out 1/4 inch and inject the medication.
- Inject the medication as planned.
- Notify the physician immediately.
- Discard the medication and start over.
- Discard the medication and start over.
The nurse is adding medication to an existing intravenous setup. Which nursing action is indicated?
- Close the infusion clamp.
- Ensure that the IV bag is full prior to adding medication.
- Do not remove the IV bag from the pole.
- Briskly shake the IV bag after injecting the medication.
- Close the infusion clamp.
Upon aspirating a saline lock prior to administering intravenous medication, the nurse notes that there is no blood return. What nursing action should be taken?
- Discontinue this infiltrated lock and restart another site for medication administration.
- Slowly infuse 1 mL of saline into the lock, assessing for infiltration.
- Reinsert the needle into the lock and aspirate using more pressure.
- Pull the intravenous catheter out 1/8 inch and attempt aspiration.
- Slowly infuse 1 mL of saline into the lock, assessing for infiltration
While preparing to administer an eye ointment, the nurse inadvertently squeezes the tube, discarding the first bead of medication. What action should the nurse take at this point?
- Administer the eye ointment as ordered, as the first bead of ointment should be discarded anyway.
- Notify the pharmacy and request a new, unopened tube of ointment.
- Have a second licensed nurse witness the waste and sign the chart.
- Continue to squeeze the tube until a clear line of ointment has been discarded from the tip.
- Administer the eye ointment as ordered, as the first bead of ointment should be discarded anyway.
The nurse is preparing to administer eardrops to a 6-year-old client. What nursing action is correct?
- Pull the earlobe down and back to straighten the ear canal.
- Insert the tip of the applicator into the ear canal.
- Put the eardrops in the refrigerator for 10 minutes prior to administration.
- Press gently on the tragus of the ear a few times after administration.
- Press gently on the tragus of the ear a few times after administration.
While preparing to administer a transdermal estrogen patch, the nurse finds the previously applied patch in the client’s bed linens. How can the nurse avoid this situation with the patch now being applied?
- Shave the area where the patch is being applied.
- Place a heating pad over the area where the patch is applied for 10 minutes after application.
- Run a finger around the adhesive edges of the new patch before placing it on the client’s skin.
- Press firmly over the patch with the palm of the hand for about 10 seconds after applying it to the skin.
- Press firmly over the patch with the palm of the hand for about 10 seconds after applying it to the skin.
The nurse is preparing a small amount of medication for oral administration. Which nursing action is essential?
- Draw up the medication in a syringe with a large-gauge needle.
- Measure the medication at the top of the meniscus.
- Label the syringe with the medication name, amount, and route.
- Dilute the medication with water before measuring.
- Label the syringe with the medication name, amount, and route.
- A client diagnosed with diabetes asks the nurse about reusing insulin syringes. Assessment reveals that the client has poor personal hygiene and difficulty with fine motor skills. The nurse also knows the client has financial difficulties. What instruction should the nurse give this client?
- “The American Diabetes Association advises that syringes are for single use only.”
- “In order to save money, I advise you to reuse syringes up to three times or until the needle feels dull.”
- “Only people who practice good personal hygiene can reuse syringes.”
- “All clients are different, but I advise you to use a new syringe for each injection.”
- “All clients are different, but I advise you to use a new syringe for each injection.”
The client who regularly uses a metered-dose inhaler four times a day tells the nurse that it is difficult to tell when the canister is empty. What instruction should the nurse give this client?
- Place the canister in a bowl of water. If the canister floats, it is not empty.
- When you get a new canister, divide the number of puffs that is listed on the label by four. That will tell you how many days the canister will last.
- You can tell that the canister is empty when you can no longer smell the medication when you activate the plunger.
- When you feel like you are no longer getting maximum effect from the medication, your canister is empty.
- When you get a new canister, divide the number of puffs that is listed on the label by four. That will tell you how many days the canister will last.