North Carolina Medication Aide (Med Tech) Practice Exam

What should a medication aide do if a medication arrives from the pharmacy but there is no order for it on the MAR?

1. Administer the medication immediately

2. Look in the resident's record for an order

3. Inform the resident of the arrival

4. Discard the medication

The correct answer is: Look in the resident's record for an order

The appropriate course of action for a medication aide when a medication arrives from the pharmacy without a corresponding order on the Medication Administration Record (MAR) is to look in the resident's record for an order. It is crucial to ensure that any medication administered to a resident is properly prescribed and documented. The MAR serves as a critical communication tool that provides evidence of prescribed medications and their administration schedule. By checking the resident's record, the aide can confirm whether there was an oversight in the documentations, such as a delay in updating the MAR after the order was placed, or if the medication was mistakenly sent. This practice upholds the principles of safety and accountability in medication administration, as it helps prevent potential medication errors. Administering the medication immediately without verifying an order poses a significant risk of giving the patient an unauthorized or unnecessary medication, which could have serious health implications. Informing the resident of the arrival may create confusion as they might expect to receive the medication without understanding why it cannot be given yet. Discarding the medication could result in the loss of necessary treatment, especially if it was indeed prescribed; proper procedures must be followed to ensure that medications are handled correctly when there is uncertainty. Therefore, checking the resident’s record is the most responsible and