Chapter 7: Adverse Drug Reactions and Medication Errors

Chapter 7: Adverse Drug Reactions and Medication Errors

Complete Chapter Questions With Answers

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

1. An hour after taking a medication, a nurse notes that the patient displays urticaria and pruritus. The nurse’s priority action for this patient would be to

ANS:   B

Patients who develop urticaria (hives) and pruritus are at risk for anaphylaxis, which would be indicated by bronchoconstriction and wheezing. Note: As a test strategy, when answering a priority question, make sure you go through the ABCs, then other physiological priorities, then safety and security priorities, then love and belonging priorities. This is clearly an ABC priority.

Never leave the patient, because the allergic reaction may precipitate anaphylaxis, and you would need to assess for changes in respiratory status.

Simply documenting the findings ignores the patient risk for anaphylaxis.

Epinephrine should be administered only in the event of anaphylaxis.

DIF:    Cognitive Level: Application             REF:    p. 64

TOP:    Nursing Process: Implementation

MSC:   NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiological Integrity: Reduction of Risk Potential

2. A nurse administered morning medications an hour ago. While assessing a patient who has just been started on a new medication, the nurse notes that the patient is exhibiting an uncommon drug response resulting from a genetic predisposition. The nurse recognizes this as (a)n _____ effect.

ANS:   A

An idiosyncratic drug response is due to a genetic predisposition.

An iatrogenic drug response is one that causes a disease secondary to the drug.

A teratogenic drug response is one that causes fetal harm.

A carcinogenic drug response is one in which a drug is able to cause cancer.

DIF:    Cognitive Level: Analysis                  REF:    p. 65

TOP:    Nursing Process: Assessment

MSC:   NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiological Integrity: Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies

3. A nurse is reviewing the medication administration record (MAR) prior to administration of medications. Which order should the nurse implement?

ANS:   D

This is a complete order; it contains the medication, dose, route, and time.

QD is no longer an accepted abbreviation; it should be written out as “daily” or “every day.”

qd is no longer an accepted abbreviation; it should be written out as “daily” or “every day.”

This order does not specify the route to be used.

DIF:    Cognitive Level: Analysis                  REF:    p. 72

TOP:    Nursing Process: Planning

MSC:   NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiological Integrity: Reduction of Risk Potential

4. A nurse has a busy morning and is rushed. While administering medications, the nurse realizes that he has made a medication error. Which action should the nurse take first?

ANS:   B

Assessment of the patient is always the priority. Once all assessment data have been collected, the prescriber should be notified.

Ensuring the patient’s safety is the priority, not reporting the medication error.

Medication errors are reported on incident reports, not in the patient’s notes, and this is not the highest priority.

Assessment of the patient is the priority and should be done first.

DIF:    Cognitive Level: Application             REF:    pp. 69-70

TOP:    Nursing Process: Implementation

MSC:   NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiological Integrity: Reduction of Risk Potential