ISMP Safe Medication Principles 3

Question 1

ISMP classifies insulin as a high-alert medication primarily because it:

Accepted Answer

Has a narrow therapeutic index and errors commonly cause serious hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia

Answer

Insulin errors (wrong type, dose, or timing) can rapidly cause life-threatening hypoglycemia or dangerous hyperglycemia, placing it on the high-alert list.

Question 2

What is the purpose of ISMP's 'independent double-check' for high-alert medications?

Accepted Answer

To have a second qualified practitioner independently verify the drug, dose, route, and pump settings without prompting

Answer

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.

Question 3

A hospital receives an ISMP safety alert about a specific drug. Which response aligns with ISMP best practices?

Accepted Answer

Perform a proactive risk assessment and implement system changes before an error occurs

Answer

ISMP emphasizes proactive risk assessment and system-level change rather than reactive or passive responses to safety signals.

Question 4

Which labeling practice does ISMP recommend to differentiate concentrated from dilute drug formulations?

Accepted Answer

Using auxiliary warning labels and distinct color-coded labeling on concentrated products

Answer

ISMP recommends auxiliary warning labels and consistent color-coding systems to visually distinguish concentrated preparations at a glance.

Question 5

In the context of medication safety, what is 'automation bias'?

Accepted Answer

The tendency of clinicians to over-rely on automated systems and fail to catch their errors

Answer

Automation bias occurs when staff uncritically accept automated system outputs, reducing vigilance for the errors those systems can still make.

ISMP - Institute for Safe Medication Practices Practice Test

ISMP - Institute for Safe Medication Practices Practice Test

ISMP Safe Medication Principles 3