Safe Medication Administration Flashcards

A practical nurse is preparing to administer two IV medications that are known to be incompatible. What is the safest approach?

Answer: Flush the IV line with normal saline between each medication

Flushing with compatible solution (e.g., normal saline) between incompatible IV medications prevents precipitation and adverse chemical reactions.

A client has a prescription for morphine 4–8 mg IV PRN for pain. The client rates pain as 7/10. What dose should the practical nurse consider administering first?

Answer: 4 mg, the minimum dose, and reassess response

Starting with the lowest effective dose and reassessing follows safe opioid prescribing principles and reduces the risk of adverse effects.

After administering a transdermal nitroglycerin patch, the practical nurse discovers a previous patch still in place on the client's back. What action should be taken first?

Answer: Remove the old patch, document the error, and notify the supervising nurse or physician

The old patch must be removed immediately to prevent nitroglycerin toxicity, and the error must be documented and reported according to facility policy.

The practical nurse is administering an oral liquid medication to a client with dysphagia. Which action best promotes safe administration?

Answer: Position the client upright or at a 45-degree angle before administration

Upright or semi-upright positioning uses gravity to facilitate swallowing and significantly reduces the risk of aspiration.

A practical nurse draws up insulin glargine and discovers the solution appears cloudy with visible particles. What should the nurse do?

Answer: Discard the vial and obtain a new one before administering

Insulin glargine is normally clear; cloudiness or particulate matter indicates contamination or degradation, and the vial must be discarded.

A practical nurse is preparing to give a client their scheduled dose of metoprolol 50 mg orally. The client's blood pressure is 88/54 mmHg and heart rate is 52 bpm. What is the priority action?

Answer: Withhold the medication and notify the prescriber immediately

Metoprolol is a beta-blocker that lowers blood pressure and heart rate; administering it with already low BP and bradycardia risks serious hemodynamic compromise.

During a medication reconciliation on admission, a client reports taking several herbal supplements. Why is this information clinically significant?

Answer: Many herbal supplements interact with prescribed medications and can alter drug efficacy or cause adverse effects

Herbal products can have pharmacokinetic interactions with prescribed drugs (e.g., St. John's Wort reducing antiretroviral levels), making their documentation essential for safe medication management.