Deck 2: Legal, Regulatory, and Ethical Aspects of Drug Administration

Question 1

Diphenhydramine 50 mg IV push is ordered by the healthcare provider to be given "stat." When should this drug be given?

A)Immediately
B)As need upon the patient's request
C)Within one hour of receiving the order
D)When you have completed giving the oral drugs first

Answer 1

Immediately

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of psychological dependence (addiction) to a drug?

A)Symptoms of drug withdrawal
B)Pain, confusion, and seizures
C)An intense mental desire for certain drugs
D)Shaking and an increased heart rate after taking a drug

Answer 2

An intense mental desire for certain drugs

Question 3

Which of the following actions should you take before you give a drug mixed into food or the mixing of drugs with food or drink must be documented in the patients care plan, and on the drug administration chart to address the legal aspects of this practice a drink? (Select all that apply.)

A)Check a drug handbook.
B)Inform the patient or family.
C)Inform the healthcare provider.
D)Thoroughly crush pills with an enteric coating.
E)Document the mixing of drugs in food or drink in the chart.
F)Give the prescribed drug mixed in food during a regular patient meal.

Answer 3

Check a drug handbook.
Inform the patient or family.
Inform the healthcare provider.
Document the mixing of drugs in food or drink in the chart.

Question 4

Which of the following orders is an example of a single drug order?

A)Atenolol 50 mg orally daily
B)Morphine sulfate 4 mg IV stat
C)Cefazolin 1 g IV 8 a.m. before surgery
D)Tramadol 50 mg orally as needed for pain

Question 5

Which of the following scenarios may be a sign of possible drug diversion on a unit?

A)A patient is dissatisfied with the drug administration schedule.
B)A patient receiving oral antibiotics has an excess amount of pills.
C)A patient is unaware that the nurse mixed a drug in applesauce.
D)A patient receiving opioids reports increased pain.

Question 6

Which steps should you take to identify possible drug errors in a patient's drug orders? (Select all that apply.)

A)Call the pharmacy.
B)Clarify anything that is unreadable
C)Ask the patient about the drug.
D)Reconcile the drug list with an old drug record.
E)Clarify vague orders with the healthcare provider.
F)Check the original written order with the healthcare provider.

Question 7

Which levels of regulation must you adhere to when giving drugs to a patient? (Select all that apply.)

A)City Regulations
B)State Regulations
C)County Regulations
D)Federal Regulations
E)Institutional Regulations
F)Health Insurance Regulations

Question 8

A discrepancy in the narcotics inventory for morphine 5 mg/mL vials is discovered when the narcotics count is performed. The count is short by one vial. Which of the following steps should you take to reconcile the count? (Select all that apply.)

A)No action needs to be taken for small discrepancies.
B)Notify the nursing supervisor and the pharmacy of the discrepancy.
C)Identify if any nurse forgot to record any of the narcotics removed.
D)Ask only the nurses who used narcotics about the drugs they have given.
E)Check drug records to reconcile if narcotics given and not signed for.
F)Notify the security department of the institution if drug diversion is suspected.

Question 9

An elderly patient in an assisted living home requests an over-the-counter cough preparation for a mild couch she is experiencing. What is your best response?

A)"I do not have any of this drug for you at this time, but can give you a dose from another patient's supply."
B)"I will bring it to you right away, but I must keep it with your other prescription drugs."
C)"I will need to contact your healthcare provider for an order before I can give this drug to you."
D)"You may have this, but your family will need to bring it in for you."

Question 10

As you arrive to work, a nurse from the previous shift tells you that she has completed the narcotic count for your shift. What action should be taken?

A)There is no need for any additional action as this is the standard procedure.
B)Accept the keys to the narcotic cabinet and recount the drugs yourself.
C)Recount the narcotics again with a nurse from the previous shift.
D)Recount the drugs yourself at the end of your shift.

Question 11

You have obtained a liquid narcotic for a patient in pain from the unit's locked cabinet. However, the dose was accidentally spilled before to giving it to the patient. What is the best action to take at this point?

A)Ask another nurse to cosign the inventory record describing the situation.
B)Immediately obtain another dose from the narcotic control system.
C)Document the occurrence in the drug record.d.Clean up the spill and notify the supervisor.

Question 12

Which of the following drugs is considered a high-alert drug? (Select all that apply.)

A)Percocet
B)Insulin
C)Heparin
D)Herceptin
E)Potassium
F)Indomethacin

Question 13

You are giving drugs to the patients assigned to you when you realize that you gave a drug to the wrong patient. What action should you take?

A)Evaluate the patient's condition and notify the healthcare provider.
B)Submit a report only if the patient has an adverse reaction.
C)Inform the patient and complete an incident report.
D)Document the occurrence in the patient record.

Question 14

A one-time order for a controlled substance drug has been written for a patient you are caring for. However, the drug ordered is available only in a larger dose than is needed. What should you do with the remaining drug?

A)Give the full dose that is available.
B)Flush the remaining drug in the toilet of the patient's bathroom.
C)Save the remaining drug in case the patient needs it again.
D)Have another nurse witness the wasting of the leftover drug, and document according to policy.

Question 15

A narcotic control system is used in any hospital or agency. Which of the following are special regulations applied for control of narcotics that you must follow? (Select all that apply.)

A)Narcotics are stored in a special locked cabinet.
B)Narcotic control is the responsibility of everyone on the unit.
C)Narcotics may be borrowed from patient to patient for emergency use.
D)You may return unused narcotics to the patient's family upon discharge.
E)You are responsible for signing out every narcotic drug used for a patient.
F)An inventory of the narcotics on a unit must be kept and verified by two nurses.