MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION - ANSWERS (LINK TO RETAKE QUIZ AT BOTTOM)
1) Home Care Aides are permitted to fill or modify medication dispensers (modules, organizers, blister packs) for their clients:
FALSE - Home Care Aides are never permitted to fill medication dispensers or set medication dosages on behalf of their client; however, they can assist clients in performing such tasks by providing instruction and oversight (being careful to follow physician’s orders on prescription bottles and documentation)
2) Home Care Aides are permitted to set insulin units and inject insulin medication if a client is unable to do so:
FALSE - Home Care Aides are never permitted to determine medication dosages or directly administer medications, by mouth or injection; however, they can assist clients in performing such tasks by providing instruction and oversight (being careful to follow physician’s orders on prescription bottles and documentation)
3) Home Care Aides can conceal (hide) medications in applesauce if a client refuses to take them:
FALSE - Home Care Aides are never permitted to force (or trick) clients into taking their medications; immediately report to your Agape Supervisor if a client is refusing to take their medications as prescribed
4) Home Care Aides are permitted to draw and administer liquid Morphine into the mouths of Hospice patients:
FALSE - Home Care Aides are never permitted to determine medication dosages or directly administer medications, by mouth or injection; however, they can assist clients in performing such tasks by providing instruction and oversight (being careful to follow physician’s orders on prescription bottles and documentation)
5) Home Care Aides are permitted to adjust client’s medication dosages by cutting medications in half, modifying liquid units or by removing or adding medications to their dispensers:
FALSE - Home Care Aides are never permitted to determine or alter medication dosages or modify medication dispensers. If such modifications to a client’s medications become necessary, contact your Agape Supervisor BEFORE giving medications for directions
6) Home Care Aides are permitted to crush and/or cut client medications in half if the client is unable to swallow them whole:
FALSE - Home Care Aides are never permitted to modify medications (this should be done by a pharmacist, medical professional, by the client themselves or designated responsible party), as some medications will not function as intended if altered; If such modifications become necessary, contact your Agape Supervisor BEFORE giving medications for directions
7) Agape staff are permitted to give medications from alternate days or times in a medication dispenser if they are missing during their shift:
FALSE - Agape staff must never deviate from following client Care Plans and medication dispenser formats: day, date and times; contact your Agape Supervisor for direction BEFORE giving any medications under such circumstances
8) Agape staff are to check client's Plan of Care, charting entries from previous shift and medication dispensers at the beginning of their shift to confirm medications are being given properly:
TRUE - this practice will provide early detection and correction of medication errors and facilitate immediate remedy for clients who have received incorrect medication dosages (missed or double dosed), which can potentially cause serious or fatal harm to the client
9) Agape staff are always to chart medications given (or declined) during their shift:
TRUE - this practice provides necessary documentation to confirm that medications were given as prescribed (or declined) for other staff and client’s medical team to review, helping to avoid medication errors (missed or double dosed) and/or provide quick remedy should medications be been given incorrectly, which can potentially cause serious or fatal harm to the client
10) Agape staff cannot give medications unless directed to do so by their Agape Supervisor as part of the client’s Plan of Care:
TRUE - Agape Supervisor will include medication assistance in the client’s Plan of Care (with instructions) if such duties are required. If in doubt about any client care directives, always ask your Supervisor for clarification and direction
11) Agape staff must always count and chart the unit number of narcotic medications received (pill or liquid form) upon delivery and chart narcotic medications taken by clients during their shift:
TRUE - this practice helps to ensure that narcotics are properly safeguarded; provides oversight and accountability in narcotics handling; provides early detection if narcotics count is inaccurate to identify the cause and remedy for the discrepancy and helps to avoid medication errors (missed or double dosed), which can potentially cause serious or fatal harm to the client
12) Agape staff should flush unused medications down the toilet to avoid being taken accidentally:
FALSE - Agape staff are to bag, label and securely store unused or outdated medications until they are removed by Agape Supervisor or designated person
13) Agape staff should give client’s lunch medications during the dinner shift if the lunch medications were accidentally missed:
FALSE - Agape staff must never deviate from following client Care Plans and medication dispenser formats: day, date and times; contact your Agape Supervisor for direction BEFORE giving any medications under such circumstances
14) Agape staff are to immediately report any discrepancy observed in the administration of their client's medications to their Agape Supervisor:
TRUE - this practice provides early detection and correction of inaccurate medication delivery or instruction (dispenser out of sync, Plan of Care needing updates) to avoid potential medication errors (missed or double dosed) and quick remedy should errors occur, which can potentially cause serious or fatal harm to the client
15) Agape staff may borrow (use or take) a client's aspirin if the client agrees in writing:
FALSE - Agape staff are never to burrow (use or take) client’s medications, over the counter or prescription, under any conditions
16) Agape staff must immediately report medication changes implemented by client's medical team to their Agape Supervisor:
TRUE - this practice ensures that your Agape Supervisor is kept informed of any medication changes implemented by the client’s medical team; that the client’s Plan of Care is updated to reflect these changes to ensure client’s medications are given accurately by all staff to avoid medication errors (missed or double dosed), which can potentially cause serious or fatal harm to the client
17) Agape staff are to contact their Agape Supervisor for directions if they have any questions or concerns about client medications, BEFORE giving them:
TRUE - this practice ensures that you and your fellow caregiver staff are giving client’s medications accurately; provides quick updates and corrections to client’s Plan of Care and medication dispensers (missing medications or out of synch days/dates); and provides for quick remedy should a medication error occur (missed or double dosed), which can potentially cause serious or fatal harm to the client
18) Agape staff must remain observant to verify that clients have taken all medications from the dispenser, syringe, vile and/or serving cup; checking to ensure that no medications were dropped, missed, partially received or declined:
TRUE - this practice will prevent missed medication errors, which can potentially cause serious or fatal harm to the client