QMA Insulin - Qualified Medication Aides Insulin Sliding Scale Insulin Questions and Answers

Question 1

A resident's sliding scale insulin order is as follows:
- 151-200 mg/dL: 2 units
- 201-250 mg/dL: 4 units
- 251-300 mg/dL: 6 units
- >300 mg/dL: Call Nurse
The QMA checks the resident's blood glucose before lunch, and the reading is 248 mg/dL. How many units of rapid-acting insulin should the QMA prepare to administer?

Accepted Answer

4 units

Answer

2 units

Answer

6 units

Answer

0 units, and call the nurse

Question 2

Which of the following is the most critical element for a QMA to verify before administering insulin based on a sliding scale?

Accepted Answer

The resident's current blood glucose reading.

Answer

The time the resident last received pain medication.

Answer

The brand of the glucometer being used.

Answer

The resident's preferred injection site.

Question 3

A QMA is reviewing a new sliding scale insulin order. The order contains the following ranges: 150-200 mg/dL and 200-250 mg/dL. What is the most appropriate action for the QMA to take?

Accepted Answer

Notify the delegating RN of the overlapping blood sugar ranges in the order.

Answer

Administer insulin based on the lower range if the blood sugar is exactly 200 mg/dL.

Answer

Ask the resident what dose they usually receive for a reading of 200 mg/dL.

Answer

Use an average of the two doses for a reading of 200 mg/dL.

Question 4

A resident's blood glucose is 140 mg/dL. The sliding scale order states to give 0 units for blood glucose <150 mg/dL. The resident is also scheduled for a routine dose of 10 units of long-acting insulin. What should the QMA do?

Accepted Answer

Administer the 10 units of long-acting insulin only.

Answer

Hold both the sliding scale and the long-acting insulin.

Answer

Administer 2 units of rapid-acting insulin as a precaution.

Answer

Notify the nurse that the blood sugar is too low for any insulin.

Question 5

The primary purpose of using a sliding scale for insulin administration is to:

Accepted Answer

Correct current hyperglycemia based on a pre-meal blood glucose reading.

Answer

Replace the need for long-acting insulin.

Answer

Provide a fixed, unchanging dose of insulin with each meal.

Answer

Simplify insulin dosing so that blood glucose monitoring is not required.

Question 6

A QMA checks a resident's blood glucose, and the result is 375 mg/dL. The sliding scale order is as follows:
- 251-300 mg/dL: 6 units
- 301-350 mg/dL: 8 units
- Above 350 mg/dL: Call MD/RN
What is the QMA's correct action?

Accepted Answer

Hold the insulin and notify the supervising nurse.

Answer

Administer 8 units of insulin.

Answer

Administer 10 units of insulin as an estimate.

Answer

Recheck the blood glucose in 15 minutes.