Medication Safety
This term describes the process of reviewing medication orders to ensure accuracy and appropriateness.
What is medication reconciliation?
Rationale: Ensuring accurate medication lists helps prevent medication errors, such as omissions, duplications, or interactions, which can harm patients.
What should the nurse do to improve hand hygiene compliance?
a) Use more antimicrobial hand gels.
b) Hold regular training sessions on hand hygiene.
c) Put up reminder posters about hand hygiene.
d) Start audits to check hand hygiene compliance.
What is b) Hold regular training sessions on hand hygiene.
Rationale: Regular training sessions are important because they educate healthcare workers about why hand hygiene is crucial, show them the correct techniques, ensure they follow established rules, and keep them informed about any new guidelines or practices.
This term refers to the systematic process of comparing healthcare practices and outcomes against established standards.
What is benchmarking?
These are the "five rights" of medication administration.
What are the right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, and right time?
Rationale: the Five Rights of medication administration serve as critical guidelines to promote safe and effective medication practices, safeguarding patient well-being throughout the healthcare continuum
What is the primary goal of benchmarking in infection control?
A) To maintain current infection rates
B) To compare infection rates and control practices against best practices and standards
C) To increase the use of antibiotics
D) To reduce staff training on infection control
What is B) To compare infection rates and control practices against best practices and standards
Rationale: Benchmarking in infection control is about comparing how well healthcare facilities are managing and preventing infections compared to the best-known methods. It helps identify where improvements can be made to enhance patient safety and overall healthcare quality.
This type of assessment helps healthcare providers identify patients at risk for falls.
What is a fall risk assessment?
These are examples of quality indicators used to assess medication safety in healthcare facilities.
What are medication reconciliation rates, adherence to prescribing guidelines, and patient satisfaction with medication management?
After starting a new hand hygiene protocol, a hospital finds that infection rates have not gone down.
What should the hospital do next?
a) Go back to the old hand hygiene protocol.
b) Look deeper to understand why the protocol isn’t working.
c) Add more hand hygiene stations.
d) Stop the hand hygiene protocol.
What is b) Look deeper to understand why the protocol isn’t working.
Rationale: When a hospital introduces a new hand hygiene protocol but doesn't see infection rates decrease, they should thoroughly investigate why the protocol isn't effective. This helps them find out what's causing the problem and make informed changes to improve infection control measures.
Which statement by a client indicates an understanding of fall prevention measures?
A. "I prefer walking alone without using my walking aid."
B. "I'll keep my room dark to improve sleep quality."
C. "I'll ask for assistance when reaching for items on high shelves."
D. "I'll wear high-heeled shoes for special occasions."
What is Answer: c. "I'll ask for assistance when reaching for items on high shelves." Explanation: Asking for assistance when reaching for items on high shelves demonstrates an understanding of fall prevention by recognizing the need for assistance to avoid potential falls.
A provider enters the following handwritten order in the patient's chart on admission to the hospital: "Administer 20 gtts of timolol maleate ophthalmic solution in each eye daily." The order is signed and dated appropriately. The patient is admitted in the evening and states that he missed all his daily medications from this morning. What is the best next step?
A. Process the order and administer today's dose
B. Process the order with the first dose to be given the following day
C. Call the provider to clarify the frequency of administering the medication
D. Call the provider to clarify the dose of the medication
What is D. Call the provider to clarify the dose of the medication
Rationale: verifying an order ensures patient safety, optimizes therapeutic outcomes, and prevents medication errors.
This organization provides guidelines and recommendations for infection control practices in healthcare facilities.
What is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)?
The nurse caring for patients in a long-term care facility knows that there are factors that place certain patients at a higher risk for falls. Which patients would the nurse consider to be in this category? Select all that apply.
a. A patient who is older than 50
b. A patient who has already fallen twice
c. A patient who is taking antibiotics
d. A patient who experiences postural hypotension
e. A patient who is experiencing nausea from chemotherapy
f. A 70-year-old patient who is transferred to long-term care
What is b, d, f. Risk factors for falls include age over 65 years, documented history of falls, postural hypotension, and unfamiliar environment. A medication regimen that includes diuretics, tranquilizers, sedatives, hypnotics, or analgesics is also a risk factor.