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QMA (QUALIFIED MEDICATION AIDE) – IVY
TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE EXAMINATION
2026 COMPLETE (180) CURRENT TESTING
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED RATIONALES.
QMA
Prepare for the QMA (Qualified Medication Aide) – Ivy Tech Community
College Examination with practice questions covering medication aide
duties, drug administration, safety, legal/ethical issues, Indiana state
regulations, drug classifications, side effects, documentation, and
infection control relevant to the Indiana QMA curriculum. Designed to
improve clinical accuracy and boost confidence in safe medication
administration practices. Suitable for nursing assistants, medication
aides, and healthcare students preparing for QMA certification.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Section 1: Role & Responsibilities of the QMA (10% – 18
questions)
1. A Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) in Indiana may administer
medications in which setting?
A. Acute care hospital
B. Long-term care facility (skilled nursing facility) under the
supervision of a licensed nurse
C. Independent physician’s office
D. Patient’s private home as a home health aide
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Answer: B. Long-term care facility (skilled nursing facility) under
the supervision of a licensed nurse
Rationale: The Indiana State Department of Health permits
QMAs to administer medications only in licensed long-term care
facilities (nursing homes) under the delegation and supervision
of a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN).
2. Which of the following tasks is outside the scope of practice for a
QMA?
A. Administering oral medications from a medication cart
B. Applying transdermal patches
C. Administering intravenous (IV) push medications
D. Instilling eye drops as prescribed
Answer: C. Administering intravenous (IV) push medications
Rationale: QMAs are not permitted to administer any parenteral
medications except in very limited circumstances (e.g., pre-
filled insulin pens? No, usually no IV). Indiana QMA rules prohibit
IV administration, IV piggybacks, and IV push medications.
These are nursing tasks.
3. A QMA observes a resident having difficulty swallowing a large
tablet. The most appropriate action is to:
A. Crush the tablet without checking
B. Notify the licensed nurse and follow facility policy (e.g., request
alternate formulation)
C. Have the resident chew the tablet
D. Skip the dose
Answer: B. Notify the licensed nurse and follow facility policy
(e.g., request alternate formulation)
Rationale: Crushing medications without authorization can alter
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absorption or be dangerous (e.g., sustained-release). The nurse
must assess and may contact the prescriber for a liquid or
different form.
4. The QMA’s supervising nurse is responsible for:
A. Counting all controlled substances each shift
B. Delegating which residents the QMA may administer medications
to, based on stability and complexity
C. Administering all PRN medications
D. Signing all MARs for the QMA
Answer: B. Delegating which residents the QMA may administer
medications to, based on stability and complexity
Rationale: The supervising nurse must assess each resident and
determine if the QMA can safely administer medications to that
individual. The nurse cannot delegate tasks requiring
professional nursing judgment (e.g., assessment of PRN
effectiveness).
5. A QMA arrives for their shift and notes that the medication cart
key is missing. What is the first action?
A. Start passing medications using the spare key
B. Report the missing key immediately to the charge nurse and
follow facility security protocols
C. Ignore the issue
D. Leave the cart unlocked and continue
Answer: B. Report the missing key immediately to the charge
nurse and follow facility security protocols
Rationale: Loss of a medication cart key is a security breach that
must be reported immediately to prevent unauthorized access.
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The nurse will initiate a search, and keys may need to be
reissued or locks changed.
6. Which of the following is a true statement regarding QMA
certification in Indiana?
A. QMA certification is permanent and never expires
B. QMA certification must be renewed every two years with evidence
of continued employment and continuing education
C. QMA certification is issued by the Indiana Board of Pharmacy
D. QMAs may work independently without nurse supervision
Answer: B. QMA certification must be renewed every two years
with evidence of continued employment and continuing
education
Rationale: Indiana’s QMA certification (through the Indiana State
Department of Health) requires renewal every 2 years, including
proof of at least 500 hours of work as a QMA and completion of
12 continuing education hours.
7. The QMA’s role in medication administration includes all of the
following EXCEPT:
A. Verifying the “six rights” of medication administration
B. Assessing the resident’s vital signs before giving a PRN blood
pressure medication (if delegated and within training)
C. Interpreting laboratory results to adjust medication doses
D. Reporting adverse reactions to the supervising nurse
Answer: C. Interpreting laboratory results to adjust medication
doses
Rationale: Interpreting lab values and adjusting doses (e.g.,
insulin sliding scale calculation) is a nursing or prescriber
QMA (QUALIFIED MEDICATION AIDE) – IVY
TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE EXAMINATION
2026 COMPLETE (180) CURRENT TESTING
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED RATIONALES.
QMA
Prepare for the QMA (Qualified Medication Aide) – Ivy Tech Community
College Examination with practice questions covering medication aide
duties, drug administration, safety, legal/ethical issues, Indiana state
regulations, drug classifications, side effects, documentation, and
infection control relevant to the Indiana QMA curriculum. Designed to
improve clinical accuracy and boost confidence in safe medication
administration practices. Suitable for nursing assistants, medication
aides, and healthcare students preparing for QMA certification.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Section 1: Role & Responsibilities of the QMA (10% – 18
questions)
1. A Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) in Indiana may administer
medications in which setting?
A. Acute care hospital
B. Long-term care facility (skilled nursing facility) under the
supervision of a licensed nurse
C. Independent physician’s office
D. Patient’s private home as a home health aide
, Page 2 of 75
Answer: B. Long-term care facility (skilled nursing facility) under
the supervision of a licensed nurse
Rationale: The Indiana State Department of Health permits
QMAs to administer medications only in licensed long-term care
facilities (nursing homes) under the delegation and supervision
of a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN).
2. Which of the following tasks is outside the scope of practice for a
QMA?
A. Administering oral medications from a medication cart
B. Applying transdermal patches
C. Administering intravenous (IV) push medications
D. Instilling eye drops as prescribed
Answer: C. Administering intravenous (IV) push medications
Rationale: QMAs are not permitted to administer any parenteral
medications except in very limited circumstances (e.g., pre-
filled insulin pens? No, usually no IV). Indiana QMA rules prohibit
IV administration, IV piggybacks, and IV push medications.
These are nursing tasks.
3. A QMA observes a resident having difficulty swallowing a large
tablet. The most appropriate action is to:
A. Crush the tablet without checking
B. Notify the licensed nurse and follow facility policy (e.g., request
alternate formulation)
C. Have the resident chew the tablet
D. Skip the dose
Answer: B. Notify the licensed nurse and follow facility policy
(e.g., request alternate formulation)
Rationale: Crushing medications without authorization can alter
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absorption or be dangerous (e.g., sustained-release). The nurse
must assess and may contact the prescriber for a liquid or
different form.
4. The QMA’s supervising nurse is responsible for:
A. Counting all controlled substances each shift
B. Delegating which residents the QMA may administer medications
to, based on stability and complexity
C. Administering all PRN medications
D. Signing all MARs for the QMA
Answer: B. Delegating which residents the QMA may administer
medications to, based on stability and complexity
Rationale: The supervising nurse must assess each resident and
determine if the QMA can safely administer medications to that
individual. The nurse cannot delegate tasks requiring
professional nursing judgment (e.g., assessment of PRN
effectiveness).
5. A QMA arrives for their shift and notes that the medication cart
key is missing. What is the first action?
A. Start passing medications using the spare key
B. Report the missing key immediately to the charge nurse and
follow facility security protocols
C. Ignore the issue
D. Leave the cart unlocked and continue
Answer: B. Report the missing key immediately to the charge
nurse and follow facility security protocols
Rationale: Loss of a medication cart key is a security breach that
must be reported immediately to prevent unauthorized access.
, Page 4 of 75
The nurse will initiate a search, and keys may need to be
reissued or locks changed.
6. Which of the following is a true statement regarding QMA
certification in Indiana?
A. QMA certification is permanent and never expires
B. QMA certification must be renewed every two years with evidence
of continued employment and continuing education
C. QMA certification is issued by the Indiana Board of Pharmacy
D. QMAs may work independently without nurse supervision
Answer: B. QMA certification must be renewed every two years
with evidence of continued employment and continuing
education
Rationale: Indiana’s QMA certification (through the Indiana State
Department of Health) requires renewal every 2 years, including
proof of at least 500 hours of work as a QMA and completion of
12 continuing education hours.
7. The QMA’s role in medication administration includes all of the
following EXCEPT:
A. Verifying the “six rights” of medication administration
B. Assessing the resident’s vital signs before giving a PRN blood
pressure medication (if delegated and within training)
C. Interpreting laboratory results to adjust medication doses
D. Reporting adverse reactions to the supervising nurse
Answer: C. Interpreting laboratory results to adjust medication
doses
Rationale: Interpreting lab values and adjusting doses (e.g.,
insulin sliding scale calculation) is a nursing or prescriber
