DCW Medication Assistance and Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What should a DCW do if they are unsure whether a medication has already been given to a client?
- Give it anyway to avoid a missed dose
- Skip the dose until the next scheduled time
- Check the medication log and contact the supervisor before giving the dose (Correct answer)
- Ask another client in the home if they saw the medication being given
Correct answer: Check the medication log and contact the supervisor before giving the dose
Checking the medication administration record and consulting a supervisor prevents both missed doses and dangerous double-dosing.
Question 2: A client refuses their scheduled medication. Which action should the DCW take first?
- Force the client to take it for their own good
- Respect the refusal, document it, and notify the supervisor (Correct answer)
- Hide the medication in food or drink
- Tell the client their insurance will not cover missed doses
Correct answer: Respect the refusal, document it, and notify the supervisor
Clients have the right to refuse medications; the DCW must respect that right, record the refusal, and inform the care team.
Question 3: Which storage condition is most important for most oral medications?
- Stored in direct sunlight on a windowsill
- Stored in a cool, dry place away from heat and moisture (Correct answer)
- Stored in the refrigerator regardless of label instructions
- Stored in the bathroom medicine cabinet for easy access
Correct answer: Stored in a cool, dry place away from heat and moisture
Most medications degrade when exposed to heat, light, or moisture, so a cool, dry location is the standard storage recommendation.
Question 4: A client's medication log shows they missed three doses this week. What should the DCW do?
- Give all three missed doses at once to catch up
- Note it in the log only and say nothing
- Report the pattern to the supervisor so the care plan can be reviewed (Correct answer)
- Ask the client's family to bring more medication from another source
Correct answer: Report the pattern to the supervisor so the care plan can be reviewed
A pattern of missed doses signals a potential care plan problem that the supervisor and nurse must evaluate and address.
Question 5: Which piece of information is NOT typically found on a medication label?
- Prescribing physician's name
- Client's insurance co-pay amount (Correct answer)
- Dosage instructions
- Drug name and strength
Correct answer: Client's insurance co-pay amount
Medication labels include drug name, dosage, instructions, and prescriber information, but not billing or insurance co-pay details.
Question 6: What does the term 'PRN' mean on a medication order?
- Give at a fixed time every day
- Give as needed (Correct answer)
- Give by injection only
- Give with physician present
Correct answer: Give as needed
'PRN' is Latin for 'pro re nata,' meaning the medication is given only when a specific condition or symptom arises.
DCW Medication Assistance and Management 2
What should a DCW do if they are unsure whether a medication has already been given to a client?