CMT Patient Safety and Rights 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient refuses to take their prescribed blood pressure medication. What is the medication technician's correct first response?
- Crush the medication and mix it in the patient's food
- Document the refusal and notify the nurse immediately (Correct answer)
- Administer the medication anyway to prevent harm
- Convince the patient by explaining the consequences until they agree
Correct answer: Document the refusal and notify the nurse immediately
A competent patient has the right to refuse medications; the technician must document the refusal and report it to the supervising nurse.
Question 2: Which of the following actions best protects a patient's right to privacy when administering medications?
- Announcing the medication name loudly so all staff are aware
- Closing the room door or curtain before medication administration (Correct answer)
- Asking family members to verify the patient's identity
- Leaving the medication cup on the bedside table for later
Correct answer: Closing the room door or curtain before medication administration
Closing the door or curtain during medication administration protects the patient's privacy and dignity.
Question 3: Under HIPAA, which situation would be a violation of patient confidentiality by a medication technician?
- Telling the charge nurse about a patient's allergic reaction
- Discussing a patient's medications with the patient's adult child without consent (Correct answer)
- Reporting a medication error to the supervisor
- Documenting medication administration in the patient's chart
Correct answer: Discussing a patient's medications with the patient's adult child without consent
Sharing a patient's medication information with family members without the patient's explicit consent violates HIPAA privacy rules.
Question 4: A patient with dementia becomes agitated and hits a staff member during medication administration. What should the technician do first?
- Restrain the patient to complete the medication pass
- Ensure safety, withdraw, and report to the nurse for guidance (Correct answer)
- Document the incident and continue with other patients
- Ask a family member to hold the patient down
Correct answer: Ensure safety, withdraw, and report to the nurse for guidance
Staff safety and patient dignity must both be protected; the technician should step back, ensure safety, and immediately notify the nurse.
Question 5: Which of the following is considered a form of patient abuse in a long-term care setting?
- Withholding a medication because the patient is sleeping
- Threatening a patient with loss of privileges if they don't take their medication (Correct answer)
- Contacting the nurse when a patient refuses medication
- Waiting until the next scheduled dose when a patient refuses
Correct answer: Threatening a patient with loss of privileges if they don't take their medication
Threatening a patient to force medication compliance is psychological abuse and is prohibited under resident rights regulations.
Question 6: A medication technician notices a bruise on a resident that was not previously documented. What is the required action?
- Wait to see if more bruises appear before reporting
- Inform the supervising nurse and document the finding immediately (Correct answer)
- Ask other residents if they saw what happened
- Assume it is from normal aging and continue with medication pass
Correct answer: Inform the supervising nurse and document the finding immediately
Any unexplained injury must be reported to the nurse immediately and documented to protect the resident and fulfill mandatory reporting obligations.
Question 7: What does the Patient Self-Determination Act require of healthcare facilities?
- To administer all medications regardless of patient preference
- To inform patients of their right to make decisions about their own care, including advance directives (Correct answer)
- To obtain physician approval before honoring any patient refusal
- To notify family members of all patient medication decisions
Correct answer: To inform patients of their right to make decisions about their own care, including advance directives
The Patient Self-Determination Act requires facilities to inform patients of their rights to make healthcare decisions and to create advance directives.
CMT Patient Safety and Rights 2
A patient refuses to take their prescribed blood pressure medication.
What is the medication technician's correct first response?