LVN Pharmacology & Medication Administration 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient is taking an MAOI antidepressant. Which food should the LVN instruct the patient to avoid to prevent a hypertensive crisis?
- Fresh fruit
- Aged cheeses and cured meats (Correct answer)
- Whole grains
- Dairy products
Correct answer: Aged cheeses and cured meats
Foods high in tyramine, such as aged cheeses and cured meats, can trigger a hypertensive crisis when combined with MAOIs.
Question 2: An LVN discovers that a medication error occurred but the patient was not harmed. What is the priority nursing action?
- Document the error in the medical record and complete an incident report (Correct answer)
- Notify the physician only if the patient shows symptoms
- Administer additional medication to correct the error
- Inform the patient's family first
Correct answer: Document the error in the medical record and complete an incident report
The priority is to document the error accurately in the medical record and complete an incident report to promote transparency and improve safety.
Question 3: Which action is essential before administering any medication to a patient?
- Check the patient's diet
- Verify the 'Rights' of medication administration (Correct answer)
- Assess the patient's pain level
- Review the patient's insurance
Correct answer: Verify the 'Rights' of medication administration
The Rights of medication administration (right patient, drug, dose, route, time, documentation) must be verified before every medication administration.
Question 4: A patient is prescribed digoxin. Before administering the medication, the LVN should assess:
- Blood pressure
- Apical pulse for 1 full minute (Correct answer)
- Respiratory rate
- Temperature
Correct answer: Apical pulse for 1 full minute
Digoxin can cause bradycardia, so the apical pulse must be assessed for a full minute before administration; hold if below 60 bpm.
Question 5: Which pain medication requires the LVN to have naloxone readily available at the bedside?
- Ibuprofen
- Morphine sulfate (Correct answer)
- Acetaminophen
- Aspirin
Correct answer: Morphine sulfate
Naloxone is the opioid reversal agent and must be available when administering opioids like morphine due to the risk of respiratory depression.
Question 6: When preparing an oral liquid medication, at what level should the LVN read the measurement in the medication cup?
- Top of the meniscus
- Bottom of the meniscus (Correct answer)
- Middle of the meniscus
- Either side of the meniscus
Correct answer: Bottom of the meniscus
Liquid medications should be measured at the bottom of the meniscus (the curved surface of liquid) to ensure accurate dosing.
Question 7: A patient prescribed lithium for bipolar disorder should be instructed to maintain adequate intake of:
- Calcium
- Sodium (Correct answer)
- Potassium
- Magnesium
Correct answer: Sodium
Lithium competes with sodium in the kidney; low sodium intake causes the body to retain lithium, increasing risk of toxicity.
LVN Pharmacology & Medication Administration 4
A patient is taking an MAOI antidepressant.
Which food should the LVN instruct the patient to avoid to prevent a hypertensive crisis?