Medication Administration - Exam
10 rights in medication administration – answer
1. Right medication
2. Right dose
3. Right time
4. Right route
5. Right client
6. Right assessment
7. Right client education
8. Right documentation
9. Right to refuse
10. Right evaluation
Purpose of 10 rights – answer prevent medication errors and maintain patient safety
Administering medications using enteral route – answer (enteral- inserted in gi tract)
Nasogastric tube
Gastrostomy tube
Jejunostomy tube
Small-bore feeding tube
Rectal – answer still considered enteral because it's part of gi tract
Insert 1", with water-based lubricant; but the action of rectal is considered percutaneous.
What comes to mind when you see a patient with ngt, peg or j-tube – answer patient is unable
to swallow
Parenteral route – answer
Im
Id
Sq
Iv
Im – answer
Length: 1- 1 ½ inches
Gauge: 20- 22
Angle: 90 degrees
Sites: deltoid, ventrogluteal, vastus lateralis
Amount: 2 - 5ml in larger muscle
Immunizations: 23-25 gauge 5/8"
Id – answer
Length: 5/8 inches
Gauge: 23-25
, Angle: 5-15 degrees (bevel up)
Sites: inner aspect of forearm, upper back
Bleb/wheal
U-500: 1ml tuberculin 25 - 27 gauge, 1/2 - 5/8"
Sq – answer
Length: *5/8* inches or 1/2 inches (3/8 to 5/8)
Gauge: 23-*25* (25-27)
Angle: *45* degrees or 90 degrees
Amount: 1 - 3 ml
Sites: abdomen from below the costal margins to the iliac crests, outer posterior aspect of
the upper arms, anterior aspects of the thighs
Amount: 0.5 to 1.5ml (irritating)
U-100: 1ml insulin 28 - 31 gauge, 5/16 - 1/2"
Percutaneous route – answer (through the skin)
Ophthalmic
Otic
Transdermal
Nasal
Inhalers
Vaginal
Steps to take to prevent medication errors – answer
1. Prepare medications for only one patient at a time
2. Follow the six rights of medication administration
3. Be sure to read labels at least 3 times (comparing mar with label) before administering
the medication
4. Use at least two patient identifiers and review the patient's allergies whenever
administering a medication
5. Do not allow any other activity to interrupt administration of medication to a patient
6. Double check all calculations and other high-risk medication administration processes
and verify with another nurse
7. Do not interpret illegible handwriting; clarify with health care provider
8. Question unusually large or small doses
9. Document all medications as soon as they are given
10. When you have made an error, reflect on what went wrong and ask how you could have
prevented the error. Complete an occurrence report per agency policy.
11. Evaluate the context or situation in which a medication error occurred. This helps to
determine if nurses have the necessary resources for safe medication administration
12. Attend in-service programs that focus on the medications commonly administered
13. Ensure that you are well rested when caring for patients. Nurses make more errors
when they are tired.
14. Involve and educate patients when administering medications. Address patients'
concerns about medications before administering them
10 rights in medication administration – answer
1. Right medication
2. Right dose
3. Right time
4. Right route
5. Right client
6. Right assessment
7. Right client education
8. Right documentation
9. Right to refuse
10. Right evaluation
Purpose of 10 rights – answer prevent medication errors and maintain patient safety
Administering medications using enteral route – answer (enteral- inserted in gi tract)
Nasogastric tube
Gastrostomy tube
Jejunostomy tube
Small-bore feeding tube
Rectal – answer still considered enteral because it's part of gi tract
Insert 1", with water-based lubricant; but the action of rectal is considered percutaneous.
What comes to mind when you see a patient with ngt, peg or j-tube – answer patient is unable
to swallow
Parenteral route – answer
Im
Id
Sq
Iv
Im – answer
Length: 1- 1 ½ inches
Gauge: 20- 22
Angle: 90 degrees
Sites: deltoid, ventrogluteal, vastus lateralis
Amount: 2 - 5ml in larger muscle
Immunizations: 23-25 gauge 5/8"
Id – answer
Length: 5/8 inches
Gauge: 23-25
, Angle: 5-15 degrees (bevel up)
Sites: inner aspect of forearm, upper back
Bleb/wheal
U-500: 1ml tuberculin 25 - 27 gauge, 1/2 - 5/8"
Sq – answer
Length: *5/8* inches or 1/2 inches (3/8 to 5/8)
Gauge: 23-*25* (25-27)
Angle: *45* degrees or 90 degrees
Amount: 1 - 3 ml
Sites: abdomen from below the costal margins to the iliac crests, outer posterior aspect of
the upper arms, anterior aspects of the thighs
Amount: 0.5 to 1.5ml (irritating)
U-100: 1ml insulin 28 - 31 gauge, 5/16 - 1/2"
Percutaneous route – answer (through the skin)
Ophthalmic
Otic
Transdermal
Nasal
Inhalers
Vaginal
Steps to take to prevent medication errors – answer
1. Prepare medications for only one patient at a time
2. Follow the six rights of medication administration
3. Be sure to read labels at least 3 times (comparing mar with label) before administering
the medication
4. Use at least two patient identifiers and review the patient's allergies whenever
administering a medication
5. Do not allow any other activity to interrupt administration of medication to a patient
6. Double check all calculations and other high-risk medication administration processes
and verify with another nurse
7. Do not interpret illegible handwriting; clarify with health care provider
8. Question unusually large or small doses
9. Document all medications as soon as they are given
10. When you have made an error, reflect on what went wrong and ask how you could have
prevented the error. Complete an occurrence report per agency policy.
11. Evaluate the context or situation in which a medication error occurred. This helps to
determine if nurses have the necessary resources for safe medication administration
12. Attend in-service programs that focus on the medications commonly administered
13. Ensure that you are well rested when caring for patients. Nurses make more errors
when they are tired.
14. Involve and educate patients when administering medications. Address patients'
concerns about medications before administering them
