AORN AORN Medication Safety and Pharmacology 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which practice is required when labeling medications on the sterile field according to AORN standards?
- Label all medications immediately when transferred to the sterile field (Correct answer)
- Label medications only if more than two are present
- Label medications after the procedure is complete
- Label medications only when requested by the surgeon
Correct answer: Label all medications immediately when transferred to the sterile field
AORN standards require all medications transferred to the sterile field to be labeled immediately with drug name, concentration, and expiration date.
Question 2: What is the perioperative nurse's responsibility when a surgeon requests an unlabeled medication on the sterile field?
- Refuse to administer the unlabeled medication (Correct answer)
- Administer it if the surgeon verbally confirms the drug
- Document verbal confirmation and proceed
- Allow the scrub technician to decide
Correct answer: Refuse to administer the unlabeled medication
AORN mandates that all medications on the sterile field be labeled; the nurse should refuse to pass an unlabeled medication to prevent medication errors.
Question 3: During a surgical procedure, a medication cup without a label is found on the back table. What is the correct action?
- Discard the unlabeled medication and notify the team (Correct answer)
- Ask the circulator what it might be
- Cover the cup and continue the procedure
- Transfer it to a labeled container
Correct answer: Discard the unlabeled medication and notify the team
An unlabeled medication must be discarded immediately and the surgical team notified to prevent a potential medication error.
Question 4: Which information is required on a medication label applied to the sterile field per AORN guidelines?
- Drug name, concentration, and expiration date/time (Correct answer)
- Drug name and surgeon's initials only
- Drug name and lot number only
- Drug name and patient allergies
Correct answer: Drug name, concentration, and expiration date/time
AORN requires medication labels on the sterile field to include at minimum the drug name, concentration, and expiration date or time.
Question 5: A perioperative nurse is preparing heparin for use on the sterile field. Which safety step is most critical?
- Independent double-check of concentration with another qualified provider (Correct answer)
- Verbal confirmation with the anesthesia provider alone
- Documentation in the anesthesia record before use
- Checking the surgeon's preference card for the dose
Correct answer: Independent double-check of concentration with another qualified provider
Heparin is a high-alert medication requiring an independent double-check of the concentration to prevent dosing errors.
Question 6: Which of the following is considered a high-alert medication in the perioperative setting per ISMP guidelines used by AORN?
- Concentrated electrolytes (Correct answer)
- Normal saline
- Sterile water for irrigation
- Povidone-iodine solution
Correct answer: Concentrated electrolytes
Concentrated electrolytes are classified as high-alert medications by ISMP because errors with these agents can cause significant patient harm.
AORN AORN Medication Safety and Pharmacology 1
Which practice is required when labeling medications on the sterile field according to AORN standards?