North Carolina Medication Aide (Med Tech) Practice Exam

For proper medication administration, what is the first action to take if a patient is unresponsive?

1. Check the medication order

2. Administer medication anyway

3. Immediately notify your supervisor

4. Attempt to wake the patient

The correct answer is: Immediately notify your supervisor

The first action to take if a patient is unresponsive is to immediately notify your supervisor. This step is vital because it ensures that a qualified healthcare professional can assess the situation, provide appropriate guidance, and determine the necessary actions to ensure the patient's safety and well-being. When a patient is unresponsive, it could indicate a medical emergency or a serious condition that requires immediate attention. Notifying the supervisor enables the facility’s established protocols to be followed and ensures that the patient receives the necessary medical evaluation and intervention. Checking the medication order or administering medication without proper assessment can pose serious risks to the patient’s health. Attempting to wake the patient, while seemingly logical, may not be the safest first action if the unresponsiveness is due to a critical medical condition. Therefore, notifying your supervisor is the prudent first step in handling the potential risks associated with an unresponsive patient.