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 is the correct action if a medical assistant accidentally administers the wrong dose of a medication?
Answer: Immediately notify the provider, monitor the patient for adverse reactions, document the error accurately in the incident report, and complete a medication error report per facility protocol
Medication errors must be reported immediately to the supervising provider for patient safety assessment; the incident must be accurately documented in an incident/occurrence report (separate from the medical record) and the medical record must reflect what actually occurred, not what was intended.
What does the term 'therapeutic range' mean for medications?
Answer: The blood concentration range in which a drug produces the desired therapeutic effect without causing toxicity
The therapeutic range (therapeutic window) is the serum drug concentration range within which the medication is both effective and safe; below this range the drug is subtherapeutic, and above it the drug is toxic.
What is the purpose of documenting the lot number and expiration date when administering a vaccine?
Answer: To enable identification and recall of specific vaccine batches if a safety issue is detected and to ensure the patient received a potent, unexpired product
Lot number and expiration date documentation allows tracking of specific manufactured batches in case of vaccine safety alerts or product recalls, and confirms the administered vaccine was within its effective shelf life.
Which of the following is an example of a medication interaction that a medical assistant should be aware of?
Answer: Warfarin's anticoagulant effect is significantly increased by many antibiotics (such as metronidazole and fluconazole), raising the risk of serious bleeding
Warfarin interacts with many drugs (antibiotics, antifungals, NSAIDs, aspirin, some herbs) that can either potentiate bleeding risk or decrease anticoagulation — this is one of the most clinically important drug interactions in outpatient care.
What is the correct technique for administering a subcutaneous (SC) injection?
Answer: Pinch the skin, insert the needle at a 45–90° angle (45° for thin patients, 90° for those with more subcutaneous tissue), inject the medication slowly, release the pinch, and apply gentle pressure
Subcutaneous injections are delivered into the fatty layer below the dermis; the angle (45° for thin patients, 90° for more substantial SC tissue) ensures the medication is deposited in fat, not muscle; gentle pressure (no massage) prevents medication dispersal that can alter absorption rate.
A patient is prescribed a medication with a 'black box warning.' What does this mean?
Answer: The FDA's strongest warning, indicating serious or life-threatening risks associated with the medication that require monitoring, special precautions, or restricted use
FDA Black Box Warnings (also called Boxed Warnings) are the strongest safety warnings the FDA can require, placed in the prescribing information to alert providers and patients to serious, potentially life-threatening adverse effects or specific use restrictions.