ISMP Medication Administration Safety

Question 1

According to ISMP guidelines, what is the primary purpose of independent double-checks for high-alert medications?

Accepted Answer

Catch errors before they reach the patient

Answer

Speed up medication dispensing

Answer

Reduce pharmacist workload

Answer

Document nurse competency

Question 2

ISMP recommends that concentrated potassium chloride (KCl) solutions be stored in patient care areas under which condition?

Accepted Answer

Removed from patient care units unless absolutely necessary

Answer

Kept at the nursing station for easy access

Answer

Stored in unlocked medication cabinets

Answer

Available in standard IV stock

Question 3

Which practice does ISMP strongly discourage when documenting medication doses?

Accepted Answer

Writing a trailing zero (e.g., 1.0 mg)

Answer

Using generic drug names

Answer

Spelling out units such as 'milligrams'

Answer

Including the route of administration

Question 4

Bar-code medication administration (BCMA) technology is primarily used to verify which of the five rights at the bedside?

Accepted Answer

Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, and right time

Answer

Right route and right time only

Answer

Right prescriber and right pharmacy

Answer

Right storage and right expiration date

Question 5

ISMP considers smart infusion pumps with drug libraries a critical safety tool primarily because they:

Accepted Answer

Set dose limits that alert clinicians to potentially unsafe orders

Answer

Eliminate the need for nursing oversight

Answer

Automatically adjust infusion rates based on patient weight

Answer

Replace pharmacist review of IV orders

Question 6

When a patient has a known drug allergy, ISMP recommends that the allergy be verified at which point in the medication administration process?

Accepted Answer

Before every dose administration

Answer

Only at the time of hospital admission

Answer

Once per nursing shift

Answer

Only when a new medication is ordered

Question 7

Which of the following is an ISMP-recommended practice to prevent wrong-route errors with oral liquid medications?

Accepted Answer

Use only oral/enteral syringes that cannot connect to IV tubing

Answer

Store oral syringes with IV supplies for convenience

Answer

Draw up oral liquids using standard luer-tip syringes

Answer

Label oral syringes with the drug name after drawing up the dose