ISMP High-Alert Medications 2

Question 1

ISMP recommends that concentrated heparin vials be removed from patient care units because:

Accepted Answer

Accidental use of concentrated instead of dilute heparin can cause fatal hemorrhage

Answer

They are too expensive

Answer

They expire quickly

Answer

Nurses cannot administer heparin

Question 2

Which of the following anticoagulants is on the ISMP high-alert medication list for community/ambulatory settings?

Accepted Answer

Warfarin

Answer

Aspirin

Answer

Naproxen

Answer

Diphenhydramine

Question 3

ISMP recommends "tall man lettering" as a strategy specifically to address which type of high-alert medication error?

Accepted Answer

Look-alike/sound-alike drug name confusion

Answer

Wrong route errors

Answer

Overdose errors

Answer

Allergy-related errors

Question 4

Which practice does ISMP endorse for dispensing high-alert oral liquid medications in pediatrics?

Accepted Answer

Use oral syringes that cannot connect to IV lines

Answer

Use household teaspoons

Answer

Dispense in adult dosing cups

Answer

Round to the nearest 5 mL

Question 5

What does ISMP mean by a "standard concentration" protocol for high-alert IV medications?

Accepted Answer

Limiting medications to one or few fixed concentrations across the facility

Answer

Using generic drugs only

Answer

Concentrating all drips to 1 mg/mL

Answer

Using pharmacy-only compounding

Question 6

Methotrexate is on the ISMP high-alert list partly because errors involving its dosing frequency have caused:

Accepted Answer

Serious toxicity and death when given daily instead of weekly

Answer

Mild GI upset

Answer

Only hair loss

Answer

Temporary kidney dysfunction