ARF ARF Medication Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When assisting a resident with medication, which action should ARF staff always perform first?
- Verify the resident's identity and compare the medication to the MAR (Correct answer)
- Administer the medication quickly to maintain the schedule
- Ask the resident if they feel they need the medication today
- Check whether the medication is covered by the resident's insurance
Correct answer: Verify the resident's identity and compare the medication to the MAR
Before providing any medication assistance, staff must verify the resident's identity and confirm the medication matches what is recorded on the MAR.
Question 2: What must an ARF do when a new prescription is received for a resident?
- Update the MAR and review the new medication with the resident and prescriber's instructions (Correct answer)
- Begin administering the new medication based on the resident's verbal account of what they were told
- Store the new medication and wait for the next scheduled medication review meeting
- Contact the regional center before adding any new medication to the resident's regimen
Correct answer: Update the MAR and review the new medication with the resident and prescriber's instructions
When a new prescription is received, the MAR must be updated and staff must review the medication instructions from the prescriber before assisting with administration.
Question 3: What should ARF staff do if they observe a resident displaying signs of a possible medication side effect?
- Document the observation and notify the prescribing physician promptly (Correct answer)
- Withhold the next dose without notifying the physician
- Administer an additional dose to counteract the side effect
- Wait 24 hours to see if the symptoms resolve before reporting
Correct answer: Document the observation and notify the prescribing physician promptly
Suspected medication side effects must be documented and the prescribing physician notified promptly so the treatment plan can be evaluated.
Question 4: Under ARF regulations, which medications must be counted and reconciled upon each shift change?
- Controlled substances must be counted and reconciled between outgoing and incoming staff (Correct answer)
- All medications including vitamins must be counted every shift
- Only injectable medications require shift-change reconciliation
- No formal count is required if the facility has a locked medication cabinet
Correct answer: Controlled substances must be counted and reconciled between outgoing and incoming staff
Controlled substances must be counted and reconciled by outgoing and incoming staff at each shift change to prevent diversion or error.
Question 5: What action must an ARF take when a medication error occurs?
- Document the error, notify the physician, and report to DSS as required (Correct answer)
- Handle the error internally without documentation to protect staff
- Immediately discharge the staff member who made the error
- Notify the resident's family and take no further regulatory action
Correct answer: Document the error, notify the physician, and report to DSS as required
Medication errors must be documented, the physician notified, and DSS reported to as required by regulation.
Question 6: Can an ARF resident self-medicate without staff assistance?
- Yes, if the resident's physician authorizes and the service plan reflects self-medication capability (Correct answer)
- No, all medications must be assisted by trained staff at all times
- Only for over-the-counter medications approved by the administrator
- Only on weekends when medication staff are unavailable
Correct answer: Yes, if the resident's physician authorizes and the service plan reflects self-medication capability
Residents may self-medicate if their physician authorizes it and their service plan reflects their capability and approval to do so.
ARF ARF Medication Management 2
When assisting a resident with medication, which action should ARF staff always perform first?