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Difficulty: EasyPharmacological Therapies

A practical nurse at a residential care facility is distributing routine medications to residents. Which actions by the nurse indicate compliance with safe pharmacological practices? (Select all that apply.)

  1. Remaining at the bedside until the resident has completely swallowed all oral capsulesAnswer
  2. B
    Identifying a confused resident by their room and bed number instead of using an identification wristband
  3. Checking the medication label against the electronic administration record three times prior to dispensingAnswer
  4. D
    Administering an intravenous (IV) push cardiac medication because the registered nurse is occupied
  5. Verifying the resident's identity by asking them to state their name and confirming it with their photo identificationAnswer
  6. F
    Calculating a decimal-based liquid dosage mentally to expedite the medication pass during a busy shift

Answer

The correct practices involve remaining with the resident until oral medications are fully swallowed, performing three distinct checks of the medication label, and verifying identity using two approved identifiers such as stated name and photo identification.
Safe pharmacological therapy hinges on strict adherence to medication administration rights. This includes performing three verification checks, utilizing two reliable, patient-specific identifiers, and directly observing the ingestion of oral medications to confirm safe delivery.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate the first set of actions against the universal rights of medication administration.
Checking the medication label three times and using two distinct identifiers (like a name and photo ID) are standard safety requirements.
These steps prevent medication errors related to the wrong drug or wrong patient.
2
Assess the practical nurse's scope of practice regarding medication routes.
Administering an IV push cardiac medication is outside the practical nurse's scope.
IV push medications require advanced clinical judgment and immediate physiological monitoring by a registered nurse.
3
Analyze the remaining actions for potential safety risks.
Using a room number for identification and calculating dosages mentally are high-risk behaviors. Staying at the bedside until swallowing is complete is a safe behavior.
Room numbers are not valid identifiers, and mental math invites dosage calculation errors. Observing the swallow ensures medication compliance.

Key Concept

Safe Medication Administration Principles and Scope of Practice
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Topics

Pharmacological Therapies

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