High-Alert Medications Flashcards
6 cards from real ISMP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 High-Alert Medications flashcards as text
ISMP categorizes opioids as high-alert medications because they can cause:
Answer: Respiratory depression and death
Opioids are high-alert because even small dosing errors can cause respiratory depression, apnea, and death, especially in opioid-naive patients.
Which ISMP recommendation helps prevent errors with look-alike concentrated electrolyte vials?
Answer: Remove concentrated forms from floor stock and restrict to pharmacy
ISMP recommends removing concentrated electrolytes from floor stock so they must be prepared by pharmacy, reducing bedside confusion errors.
Chemotherapy agents are classified as high-alert primarily due to their:
Answer: Narrow therapeutic index and potential for fatal overdose
Chemotherapy drugs have a narrow therapeutic index and can cause life-threatening toxicity with small dosing errors, making them inherently high-alert.
ISMP recommends that independent double-checks for high-alert medications should be:
Answer: Performed by two different clinicians independently without sharing their findings first
A true independent double-check requires each clinician to perform the check independently before comparing results, to avoid confirmation bias.
According to ISMP, which element should be included on the label of a high-alert medication prepared by pharmacy?
Answer: Clear route of administration warning
Labels for high-alert medications should include clear route of administration warnings to prevent accidental administration by the wrong route.
Why does ISMP recommend limiting the number of high-alert drug concentrations available on automated dispensing cabinets?
Answer: To reduce selection errors and simplify dose calculations
Limiting concentrations in automated dispensing cabinets reduces the cognitive burden of dose calculations and minimizes the risk of selecting the wrong concentration.