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 nurse is preparing IV vancomycin. What is the most important infusion-related precaution?
Answer: Infuse slowly over at least 60 minutes to prevent Red Man Syndrome
Rapid vancomycin infusion causes Red Man Syndrome (flushing, erythema, hypotension); slow infusion over at least 60 minutes minimises this reaction.
Which patient group requires the most cautious approach when administering opioid analgesics due to altered drug metabolism?
Answer: Older adults (65+) due to reduced renal and hepatic function
Older adults have reduced hepatic and renal function, leading to slower drug clearance and increased risk of opioid accumulation, sedation, and respiratory depression.
What does the 'five rights' framework in medication administration include?
Answer: Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time
The five rights — right patient, drug, dose, route, and time — form the foundational safety check before every medication administration.
A child weighing 20 kg is prescribed amoxicillin 25 mg/kg/day in three divided doses. What is the correct single dose?
Answer: 166 mg
Total daily dose = 25 mg × 20 kg = 500 mg; divided by 3 = approximately 166.7 mg per dose.
Which statement about 'off-label' medication use is correct for nurses?
Answer: Nurses may administer off-label medications when prescribed by an authorised prescriber who has documented the rationale
Off-label prescribing is legal when clinically justified; nurses may administer these medications when a licensed prescriber has documented the rationale and the patient has provided informed consent.
A patient on digoxin therapy has a heart rate of 48 bpm before the next scheduled dose. What is the most appropriate action?
Answer: Withhold the dose, document the finding, and notify the prescriber immediately
Digoxin should typically be withheld if the apical pulse is below 60 bpm; bradycardia may indicate toxicity, and the prescriber must review the situation before the next dose.
Which of the following correctly describes the nurse's role when a patient self-administers medications in hospital?
Answer: The nurse must assess the patient's competency, ensure medications are safely stored, and monitor for adverse effects
Self-administration programmes require nurses to assess patient capability, ensure secure storage at the bedside, and continue monitoring and documenting medication use and effects.