Pharmacology and Medication Administration Flashcards
6 cards from real NCMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Pharmacology and Medication Administration flashcards as text
What are the 'Ten Rights' of medication administration that have expanded from the original 'Five Rights'?
Answer: Right patient, right medication, right dose, right route, right time, right documentation, right reason, right response, right to refuse, right education
The Ten Rights of medication administration expand the classic Five Rights (patient, drug, dose, route, time) to include documentation, reason (indication), response (outcome assessment), right to refuse, and patient education — forming a comprehensive safety framework.
What is the difference between a drug's generic name and its trade (brand) name?
Answer: The generic name is the non-proprietary chemical/pharmacological name (same worldwide); the trade name is the manufacturer-specific proprietary name given to a specific formulation
The generic name (e.g., ibuprofen) is the official chemical name of the active ingredient, standardized internationally; the trade name (e.g., Advil, Motrin) is a proprietary name given by the manufacturer to their specific formulation.
Which medication schedule under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) has the HIGHEST potential for abuse with no accepted medical use in the United States?
Answer: Schedule I (e.g., heroin, LSD, psilocybin)
Schedule I substances have the highest abuse potential, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the US, and lack accepted safety even under medical supervision — making them illegal for clinical use (examples: heroin, LSD, marijuana federally, MDMA).
What is the purpose of an allergy check before administering any medication?
Answer: To identify documented allergic reactions or intolerances that could cause anaphylaxis or significant adverse reactions to the medication or its components
Allergy verification prevents administration of a medication (or a cross-reactive medication) to which a patient has had a documented allergic or adverse reaction; anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction, can result from failure to check allergies.
What is the correct technique for drawing up a medication from a single-dose vial?
Answer: Clean the rubber stopper with alcohol and allow to dry, draw air equal to the desired dose into the syringe, inject air into the vial, withdraw the medication, and verify the dose before administration
Drawing up from a vial requires: alcohol prep of the stopper, injecting air equal to the desired volume (creates positive pressure for easier withdrawal), inverting the vial, withdrawing the medication, and checking the dose for accuracy — maintaining sterile technique throughout.
A patient is prescribed an intramuscular (IM) injection. Which site is the PREFERRED site for IM injections in adults?
Answer: Deltoid or ventrogluteal (preferred for large-volume or irritating medications)
The deltoid (for small volumes, up to 1 mL) and ventrogluteal sites are currently preferred for IM injections in adults; the ventrogluteal site (lateral hip) is the safest for large volumes (up to 5 mL) because it is free of major nerves and blood vessels.