Medicines Management and Safety Flashcards
7 cards from real NMC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Medicines Management and Safety flashcards as text
A patient is receiving warfarin therapy. Which dietary change could significantly reduce the drug's effectiveness?
Answer: Eating large amounts of vitamin K–rich foods such as spinach and kale
Vitamin K antagonises warfarin's anticoagulant effect; a sudden large increase in vitamin K intake can raise the INR target and cause sub-therapeutic anticoagulation.
Which route of administration bypasses first-pass metabolism in the liver?
Answer: Intravenous
Intravenous administration delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream, completely bypassing hepatic first-pass metabolism and achieving 100% bioavailability.
A patient is prescribed gentamicin. Which parameter is essential to monitor to prevent toxicity?
Answer: Serum gentamicin levels and renal function
Gentamicin is nephrotoxic and ototoxic; serum drug levels (trough and peak) and renal function must be monitored to maintain therapeutic range and avoid toxicity.
What is the correct technique for administering a subcutaneous insulin injection?
Answer: Inject at 90° into a pinched skin fold without aspiration
Current evidence-based practice recommends injecting insulin at 90° (or 45° in thin patients) into a pinched skin fold without aspiration, as aspiration is unnecessary for subcutaneous injections.
Under the NMC Code, if a nurse is asked to administer a medication they believe is unsafe, what is their professional responsibility?
Answer: Refuse and raise the concern immediately through appropriate channels
The NMC Code requires nurses to refuse to participate in unsafe practice and to raise concerns promptly to protect patient safety.
A patient's medication is labelled 'enteric-coated.' What does this mean for administration?
Answer: The tablet must not be crushed or chewed as it is designed to dissolve in the intestine
Enteric coating protects the drug from stomach acid and the gastric mucosa; crushing or chewing destroys this protection and may cause drug inactivation or gastric irritation.
Which organisation is responsible for regulating medicines and medical devices in the United Kingdom?
Answer: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
The MHRA is the UK government agency responsible for ensuring medicines, medical devices, and blood components meet appropriate standards of safety, quality, and efficacy.