CMT Medication Administration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A resident refuses their morning medication. What is the correct first action for a CMT?
- Crush the medication and mix it into food without telling the resident
- Document the refusal and notify the nurse immediately (Correct answer)
- Administer the medication anyway to ensure compliance
- Discard the medication and say nothing
Correct answer: Document the refusal and notify the nurse immediately
Resident refusal must be documented and reported to the nurse so the care team can address the situation appropriately.
Question 2: Which route of administration delivers medication directly into the bloodstream and has the fastest onset?
- Oral
- Subcutaneous
- Intravenous (Correct answer)
- Intramuscular
Correct answer: Intravenous
Intravenous (IV) administration bypasses absorption barriers and delivers medication directly into the bloodstream for the fastest effect.
Question 3: When documenting medication administration in a MAR, which information is NOT typically required?
- Time of administration
- Resident's date of birth
- Nurse's initials who supervised
- The resident's personal opinion about the medication (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The resident's personal opinion about the medication
MARs record clinical facts like time, initials, and identifying information — not subjective resident opinions about medications.
Question 4: A CMT is preparing an oral liquid medication. The order reads 10 mg and the concentration is 5 mg/mL. How many mL should be administered?
- 1 mL
- 2 mL (Correct answer)
- 5 mL
- 0.5 mL
Correct answer: 2 mL
Using the formula: volume = dose ÷ concentration = 10 mg ÷ 5 mg/mL = 2 mL.
Question 5: Which of the following is the safest way to identify a resident before giving medication?
- Ask a coworker who the resident is
- Check the name on the door of the room
- Use two identifiers such as name and date of birth (Correct answer)
- Rely on recognizing the resident's face
Correct answer: Use two identifiers such as name and date of birth
Using two independent identifiers (e.g., name and date of birth) is the standard safety practice to prevent medication errors.
Question 6: Sublingual medications are placed under the tongue because this area:
- Slows absorption to prevent overdose
- Has rich blood supply allowing rapid absorption (Correct answer)
- Neutralizes the medication's taste
- Prevents the medication from being swallowed
Correct answer: Has rich blood supply allowing rapid absorption
The sublingual mucosa has a dense capillary network that allows medication to be absorbed quickly into systemic circulation.
Question 7: A CMT notices a blister pack has two tablets missing but the MAR shows only one was given yesterday. What should the CMT do?
- Assume a count error and move on
- Take the extra tablet back from the resident
- Report the discrepancy to the nurse or supervisor immediately (Correct answer)
- Document nothing since it is only one tablet
Correct answer: Report the discrepancy to the nurse or supervisor immediately
Any medication count discrepancy must be reported immediately to the supervising nurse, as it could indicate diversion or a documentation error.
CMT Medication Administration 2
A resident refuses their morning medication.
What is the correct first action for a CMT?