CPC Medication Management and Reconciliation

Question 1

A community paramedic conducts a home visit and finds a patient taking 11 different medications. This situation is BEST described as:

Accepted Answer

Polypharmacy

Answer

Polypharmacy is defined as the concurrent use of multiple medications (commonly 5 or more) and is a major risk factor for adverse drug events, particularly in older adults.

Question 2

During medication reconciliation, a community paramedic notices the patient is taking both warfarin and aspirin without any documented indication for dual therapy. The BEST action is to:

Accepted Answer

Document the finding and report it to the supervising physician for review

Answer

Identifying and reporting potential drug interactions or duplications to the supervising physician is the appropriate community paramedic response — medication changes require physician authorization.

Question 3

Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of medication reconciliation in the MIH setting?

Accepted Answer

To identify and resolve discrepancies between what a patient is prescribed and what they are actually taking

Answer

Medication reconciliation compares the patient's actual medication use against the prescribed regimen to identify and resolve discrepancies, errors, or safety concerns.

Question 4

A community paramedic observes that a patient is crushing an extended-release (ER) tablet to make it easier to swallow. The MOST important reason to correct this practice is that:

Accepted Answer

Crushing destroys the extended-release mechanism, risking dose dumping and toxicity

Answer

Crushing extended-release tablets destroys the controlled-release coating, causing the entire dose to be absorbed at once — a dangerous phenomenon known as dose dumping.

Question 5

When performing a home medication review, which of the following is MOST important to assess in an elderly patient taking multiple medications?

Accepted Answer

Fall risk related to medications such as sedatives, antihypertensives, and diuretics

Answer

Medications such as sedatives, antihypertensives, and diuretics are among the most common contributors to fall risk in elderly patients, making fall risk assessment a top priority.

(CPC) Community Paramedic Certification Practice Test

(CPC) Community Paramedic Certification Practice Test

CPC Medication Management and Reconciliation