Pharmacology and Medication Administration Flashcards
6 cards from real RMA 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
Which of the 'Six Rights' of medication administration specifies that the medical assistant must verify the medication is being given at the appropriate time?
Answer: Right time
The 'Right Time' right requires verifying that the medication is administered at the correct scheduled time and frequency — important for maintaining therapeutic drug levels and treatment efficacy.
A physician orders 'metformin 500 mg PO BID with meals.' What does 'BID' mean?
Answer: Twice daily
BID is the Latin abbreviation for 'bis in die,' meaning twice daily; the patient takes metformin 500 mg with breakfast and again with dinner or the two largest meals.
When preparing an injection from a multi-dose vial, which action is essential to prevent contamination of the vial's contents?
Answer: Inject air into the vial equal to the volume of medication to be withdrawn, then use aseptic technique throughout
Injecting air equal to the withdrawal volume creates positive pressure to ease withdrawal, and aseptic technique throughout — including wiping the stopper with 70% alcohol and using a new needle for each patient — prevents contamination of the vial.
Which of the following medications belongs to the Schedule II controlled substance category under the DEA Controlled Substances Act?
Answer: Oxycodone (Schedule II)
Oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance — it has a high potential for abuse and physical or psychological dependence, and can only be prescribed with a DEA registration and specific record-keeping requirements.
A patient's chart shows a medication order for 'aspirin 325 mg PO STAT.' Which of the following BEST describes what 'STAT' means?
Answer: Immediately — give without delay
STAT (from Latin 'statim,' meaning immediately) indicates the medication must be administered right away without waiting for scheduled medication rounds, used for urgent clinical situations.
Which of the following is the CORRECT action when a medical assistant accidentally draws up 2 mL of a medication instead of the ordered 1 mL dose?
Answer: Discard the entire syringe and prepare a new syringe with the correct dose
The correct action is to discard the improperly drawn syringe and start over, preparing a fresh syringe with the exact ordered dose — any manipulation of the filled syringe risks dose error or contamination.