01 Foundations of Safe Medication Administration Free Online FlashCards

What should you do when a medication instruction is unclear?

Pause and seek clarification; do not guess. Follow the current order, applicable law, professional scope, and workplace policy.

What are the administering professional’s core responsibilities?

Confirm the order is authorized, complete, and appropriate; work within your competence and legal scope; and perform required assessment, education, monitoring, and documentation.

What do the medication-administration “rights” not replace?

They are practical safeguards, not substitutes for the medication order, clinical judgment, or local policy.

How many person-specific identifiers should be used before administration?

Use at least two person-specific identifiers and match them with the medication order and patient record.

Can a room or bed number identify a patient for medication administration?

A room or bed number is not a person-specific identifier.

How should you ask a patient to confirm their identifiers?

When possible, ask the patient to state the identifiers instead of asking a yes-or-no question.

What should happen before acting on an incomplete or ambiguous order?

Clarify incomplete, ambiguous, or conflicting instructions before proceeding.

What is medication reconciliation at a transition of care?

Reconcile the best-possible medication history against new orders and resolve discrepancies.

When must a prepared medication not be administered?

Do not administer a medicine that is unlabeled, uncertain, or inconsistent with the order.

What patient-specific information should be checked before giving a medication?

Check relevant allergies and prior reactions, the patient’s current condition, and any measurements or laboratory results required by the order.

How should a patient’s medication refusal be handled?

Respect and document the refusal, then communicate it as clinically appropriate; never conceal or force administration.

What should medication documentation include?

Record administration promptly and accurately according to policy, including relevant omissions or refusals.