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Medication Reconciliation 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.

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  1. Medication reconciliation is defined as the process of:

    Answer: Comparing a patient's medication orders to all medications the patient has been taking to avoid discrepancies

    Medication reconciliation involves comparing a complete medication list against new orders at every transition of care to identify and resolve discrepancies.

  2. According to ISMP, medication reconciliation is most critical at which points in a patient's care?

    Answer: At every transition of care: admission, transfer, and discharge

    ISMP emphasizes that medication reconciliation must occur at every care transition—admission, transfer between units, and discharge—because each handoff creates error risk.

  3. A 'best possible medication history' (BPMH) used in medication reconciliation should ideally include information from:

    Answer: Multiple sources: patient interview, caregiver, community pharmacy, and prior records

    A BPMH requires gathering information from multiple sources to create the most accurate possible medication list, as no single source is always complete or accurate.

  4. Which type of discrepancy found during medication reconciliation is considered most dangerous by ISMP?

    Answer: Omission of a critical chronic medication

    Omitting a critical chronic medication (e.g., anticoagulant, antiseizure drug, insulin) during care transitions can cause acute withdrawal, thromboembolism, seizures, or other serious harm.

  5. ISMP recommends involving patients and families in medication reconciliation because:

    Answer: They often know medications not captured in medical records, such as OTC drugs and supplements

    Patients and families are valuable sources for medications not in records, including OTC drugs, herbal supplements, and medications from multiple prescribers.

  6. According to ISMP, the most common cause of medication reconciliation errors at hospital discharge is:

    Answer: Incomplete communication of the discharge medication list to the patient and next care provider

    Errors at discharge frequently occur when the discharge medication list is incomplete, unclear, or not effectively communicated to the patient and receiving providers.