MACE Medication Administration 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The 'right documentation' right of medication administration means:
- Writing the medication order in the resident's physician notes
- Recording the medication given in the MAR immediately after administration (Correct answer)
- Sending a report to the pharmacy after each administration
- Filing a copy of the prescription with the facility administrator
Correct answer: Recording the medication given in the MAR immediately after administration
Right documentation requires recording the drug, dose, time, route, and resident response in the Medication Administration Record (MAR) right after giving the medication.
Question 2: Which action best demonstrates proper hand hygiene during medication administration?
- Wiping hands on a clean cloth before pouring medication
- Washing hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer before and after each resident's medications (Correct answer)
- Wearing gloves throughout the entire medication pass without hand washing
- Cleaning hands only if visibly soiled
Correct answer: Washing hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer before and after each resident's medications
Hand hygiene before and after each resident's medication pass is essential to prevent cross-contamination and infection.
Question 3: A medication order reads 'Metoprolol 50 mg PO BID.' How many times per day is this medication given?
- Once
- Twice (Correct answer)
- Three times
- Four times
Correct answer: Twice
BID (bis in die) means twice daily, so the medication is administered two times per day.
Question 4: When administering eye drops, where should the drops be placed?
- Directly on the cornea (colored part of the eye)
- In the conjunctival sac (lower eyelid pocket) (Correct answer)
- On the outer corner of the eye
- On the upper eyelid
Correct answer: In the conjunctival sac (lower eyelid pocket)
Eye drops should be instilled into the conjunctival sac (the pocket formed by pulling down the lower eyelid) to ensure proper absorption.
Question 5: A medication aide finds a medication in the drawer that does not have a label. The CORRECT action is to:
- Administer it if it looks like the expected medication
- Do not administer it and notify the nurse immediately (Correct answer)
- Re-label it based on the MAR
- Return it to the medication cart for later identification
Correct answer: Do not administer it and notify the nurse immediately
Unlabeled medications should never be administered; they must be reported to the nurse and handled according to facility policy.
Question 6: Which of the following conditions would require the medication aide to HOLD a medication and notify the nurse before administering?
- The resident's name matches the label
- The resident's heart rate is 48 bpm and the medication is a beta-blocker (Correct answer)
- The medication is a different color than usual but the label is correct
- The resident is asleep but can be awakened
Correct answer: The resident's heart rate is 48 bpm and the medication is a beta-blocker
A heart rate below 60 bpm is typically a parameter to hold a beta-blocker; the nurse must be notified before administration.
Question 7: The medication aide must verify which three identifiers before giving medication to a resident?
- Room number, bed number, and floor
- Name, date of birth, and photo ID or wristband (Correct answer)
- Diagnosis, allergies, and insurance information
- Physician name, pharmacy name, and medication cost
Correct answer: Name, date of birth, and photo ID or wristband
Using at least two or three patient identifiers (name, date of birth, ID band/photo) is standard practice to prevent medication errors.
MACE Medication Administration 4
The 'right documentation' right of medication administration means: