Safe Medication Principles Flashcards
7 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 7 Safe Medication Principles flashcards as text
ISMP classifies insulin as a high-alert medication primarily because it:
Answer: Has a narrow therapeutic index and errors commonly cause serious hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia
Insulin errors (wrong type, dose, or timing) can rapidly cause life-threatening hypoglycemia or dangerous hyperglycemia, placing it on the high-alert list.
What is the purpose of ISMP's 'independent double-check' for high-alert medications?
Answer: To have a second qualified practitioner independently verify the drug, dose, route, and pump settings without prompting
An independent double-check requires the second practitioner to perform their own calculation and review without seeing the first person's answer, preventing confirmation bias.
A hospital receives an ISMP safety alert about a specific drug. Which response aligns with ISMP best practices?
Answer: Perform a proactive risk assessment and implement system changes before an error occurs
ISMP emphasizes proactive risk assessment and system-level change rather than reactive or passive responses to safety signals.
Which labeling practice does ISMP recommend to differentiate concentrated from dilute drug formulations?
Answer: Using auxiliary warning labels and distinct color-coded labeling on concentrated products
ISMP recommends auxiliary warning labels and consistent color-coding systems to visually distinguish concentrated preparations at a glance.
In the context of medication safety, what is 'automation bias'?
Answer: The tendency of clinicians to over-rely on automated systems and fail to catch their errors
Automation bias occurs when staff uncritically accept automated system outputs, reducing vigilance for the errors those systems can still make.
Which metric does ISMP recommend tracking to evaluate the effectiveness of a medication safety program?
Answer: Near-miss event reporting rates alongside actual adverse drug event rates
High near-miss reporting rates indicate a healthy safety culture where staff feel safe reporting, enabling proactive prevention before harm reaches patients.
ISMP recommends that medication orders include the clinical indication primarily to:
Answer: Help verify appropriateness and catch orders written for the wrong patient or condition
Knowing the indication allows pharmacists and nurses to recognize if a dose or drug is inconsistent with the documented clinical purpose, catching potential errors.