A nursing instructor is describing the importance of preventing errors in medication administration and doses. Which of the following would the instructor emphasize as the best method for detecting errors?
- A. Checking calculations three times
- B. Having each person involved in the process check the dosage
- C. Reading drug labels very carefully
- D. Checking the dosage in a reputable drug reference
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The best method of error detection is the manual redundancy system. This is a system in which each person in the process of medication prescription and delivery checks the drug dosage for accuracy. Nurses use this system when they perform the 5 rights and 3 checks to catch a potential error in drug administration. Double checking calculations and reading labels carefully are important, but they are not the best method for detecting errors. Checking the dosage in a reputable drug reference would help to ensure that the dosage is within the safe dosage range, but this would do nothing to ensure that the dosage is accurate.
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A nurse is checking the label of a drug. Which of the following would the nurse identify as an important item needed to administer a drug? Select all that apply.
- A. Monitoring parameters
- B. Side effects
- C. Dosage form
- D. Drug name
- E. Dosage strength
Correct Answer: C,D,E
Rationale: Although drug labels contain a great amount of information about the drug being given, three specific items are needed to administer a drug: the drug name, dosage form, and dosage strength.
A client has been taking warfarin (Coumadin) 5 \mathrm{mg} daily. After a check of the client's INR, the physician wants to increase the client's dose to 7.5 \mathrm{mg} on Wednesdays and continue 5 \mathrm{mg} all the other days of the week. The client has warfarin 5 -mg tablets on hand. The nurse would instruct the client to take tablets on Wednesdays.
- A. 1 tablet
- B. 1.5 tablets
- C. 2 tablets
- D. 2.5 tablets
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 7.5 mg / 5 mg = 1.5
A home health care nurse is reviewing a client's medication during a home visit. The client is prescribed atorvastatin 10 mg daily, a change from his previous order of 20 mg daily. The client shows the nurse the medication container from the pharmacy. The label reads atorvastatin 20 mg. The nurse determines that the client is taking the correct dosage when the client states he is taking which of the following
- A. 1/2 tablet every day
- B. 1 tablet every day
- C. 1/2 tablet every other day
- D. 1 tablet every other day
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The on-hand dose of the drug is 20 mg, but the client is to take 10 mg daily. So the client is correct when he says that he takes 1/2 tablet daily. Any other dosage would be incorrect.
A client has a temperature of 39°C. The client's temperature is degrees Fahrenheit.
- A. 98.6°F
- B. 100.4°F
- C. 102.2°F
- D. 104.0°F
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit, the formula F = 9/5 ? C + 32 is used. Therefore, 9/5 ? 39 = 70.2, and 70.2 + 32 = 102.2.
The health care provider orders chlorpromazine 25 mg IM. The drug is supplied as chlorpromazine 50 mg/mL in a 1-mL ampule. How much would the nurse administer?
- A. 0.25 mL
- B. 0.5 mL
- C. 0.75 mL
- D. 1.0 mL
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The drug is supplied as 50 mg in 1 mL. Calculating the dosage using the formula D / H ? Q, the equation would read: 25 mg / 50 mg ? 1 mL = 0.5 mL.
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