Safe Medication I Flashcards
7 cards from real ISMP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Safe Medication I flashcards as text
A nurse receives a verbal order for 'hydromorphone 4 mg IV.' What is the ISMP-recommended action before administering?
Answer: Read back the order to the prescriber for confirmation
ISMP requires a read-back (repeat-back) verification for all verbal and telephone orders to catch transcription errors.
Which ISMP-recommended strategy best reduces errors caused by look-alike/sound-alike (LASA) drug names?
Answer: Using tall-man lettering on labels and in computer systems
Tall-man (mixed-case) lettering highlights the differing portions of similar drug names, reducing confusion at the point of prescribing and dispensing.
A patient is ordered 'metformin 500 mg twice daily.' The pharmacy dispenses metformin 1000 mg tablets with instructions to take half a tablet. What is the primary concern per ISMP guidelines?
Answer: Scored tablets may be split, but unscored tablets should not be split as dose accuracy cannot be ensured
ISMP cautions that only scored tablets are designed for splitting; unscored tablets may result in unequal doses and potential harm.
According to ISMP, which practice increases the risk of a medication error when using automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs)?
Answer: Overriding the ADC without a pharmacist review for routine non-emergency medications
Routine overrides bypass the pharmacist safety check and are a leading cause of ADC-related medication errors.
A prescriber writes 'morphine 2-4 mg IV q2-4h PRN pain.' Per ISMP, what is problematic about this order?
Answer: Range orders with dual ranges for both dose and interval create ambiguity that can lead to overdose
ISMP warns that range orders with variable doses AND variable intervals create confusion and risk of excessive cumulative dosing.
Which of the following is an ISMP-recommended method to prevent errors with concentrated electrolytes such as potassium chloride concentrate?
Answer: Remove KCl concentrate from patient care units and require pharmacy preparation
ISMP's landmark recommendation is to remove concentrated KCl from floor stock entirely, as accidental IV push administration has caused patient deaths.
What does the term 'failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)' refer to in the context of ISMP medication safety?
Answer: A proactive process that identifies where and how a medication use process might fail before errors occur
FMEA is a prospective risk assessment method used to anticipate failure points in a process before patient harm occurs.