CMT - Certified Medical Technician Pharmacology and Medication Actions Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Certified Medical Technician (CMT) is preparing to administer a medication to a resident. The Medication Administration Record (MAR) says to give 'Lisinopril 10 mg by mouth once daily'. The medication package from the pharmacy is labeled 'Lisinopril 20 mg'. What is the MOST appropriate action for the CMT to take?
- Use a pill-cutter to split the 20 mg tablet in half to provide the correct 10 mg dose.
- Administer the 20 mg tablet because it is the same medication.
- Withhold the medication and report the discrepancy to the supervising nurse immediately. (Correct answer)
- Ask the resident if they normally take a 10 mg or 20 mg tablet.
Correct answer: Withhold the medication and report the discrepancy to the supervising nurse immediately.
The 'Six Rights of Medication Administration' include the Right Drug, Right Dose, Right Time, Right Route, Right Patient, and Right Documentation. In this scenario, the dose on the pharmacy label (20 mg) does not match the dose on the MAR (10 mg). A CMT's scope of practice does not include altering medication dosages. Therefore, the safest and most appropriate action is to stop the administration process and immediately report the discrepancy to the supervising nurse for clarification and resolution.
Question 2: Which of the following terms describes the process by which a drug is transported from the site of administration to the body's bloodstream?
- Metabolism
- Absorption (Correct answer)
- Excretion
- Distribution
Correct answer: Absorption
Pharmacokinetics involves four main processes: absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Absorption is the first step, where the medication moves from the administration site (e.g., the stomach after swallowing a pill, or muscle after an injection) into the circulatory system.
Question 3: A resident begins to experience shortness of breath, hives, and swelling of the lips shortly after receiving a new antibiotic. The CMT recognizes these signs are indicative of what type of medication action?
- A therapeutic effect
- An expected side effect
- A synergistic effect
- An anaphylactic reaction (Correct answer)
Correct answer: An anaphylactic reaction
The signs described—shortness of breath, hives (urticaria), and swelling (angioedema)—are classic symptoms of anaphylaxis, a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. This is an adverse drug reaction that requires immediate medical intervention. A therapeutic effect is the desired outcome, and an expected side effect is a known, non-allergic reaction that is generally less severe.
Question 4: A physician has ordered a medication to be given 'PRN'. What does this abbreviation mean?
- At bedtime
- By mouth
- As needed (Correct answer)
- Before meals
Correct answer: As needed
The medical abbreviation 'PRN' comes from the Latin phrase 'pro re nata,' which means 'as the thing is needed' or simply 'as needed.' This indicates the medication should be administered only when the patient has specific symptoms or requests it, within the parameters of the order.
Question 5: When administering a transdermal patch, which of the following actions is a critical step to ensure patient safety and proper medication effect?
- Placing the new patch in the exact same spot as the previous one.
- Writing the date, time, and your initials on the new patch before application. (Correct answer)
- Cutting the patch in half if the resident complains the dose is too strong.
- Applying the patch to an area with extensive hair or broken skin.
Correct answer: Writing the date, time, and your initials on the new patch before application.
To ensure proper tracking and administration, the CMT should always label the new transdermal patch with the date, time of application, and their initials. It is also crucial to remove the old patch before applying the new one and to rotate application sites to prevent skin irritation. Patches should never be cut, and they should be applied to clean, dry, intact skin.
Question 6: The process by which the body breaks down a drug into a less active or inactive form is known as:
- Distribution
- Absorption
- Metabolism (Correct answer)
- Excretion
Correct answer: Metabolism
Metabolism, also known as biotransformation, is the chemical alteration of a drug by the body. The liver is the primary site for drug metabolism. This process transforms the drug into metabolites that can be more easily eliminated from the body.
CMT - Certified Medical Technician Pharmacology and Medication Actions Questions and Answers 1
A Certified Medical Technician (CMT) is preparing to administer a medication to a resident.
The Medication Administration Record (MAR) says to give 'Lisinopril 10 mg by mouth once daily'.
The medication package from the pharmacy is labeled 'Lisinopril 20 mg'.
What is the MOST appropriate action for the CMT to take?