Is this a trick question or am I reading too much into it?

Nurses General Nursing

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Like I said in a previous thread. I am going on my 2nd interview for a hospital job and they have given me a "sample" medication test and one of the questions is this:

You calculated a dosage of medication to be 40 tablets of Lasix. What do you do next?

a) double check the order with the physician

b) recalculate the order

c) give the medication

d) hold the medication

e) all of the above

f) all except c

NOW, my point of view is this, what I would do next is, recalculate the order to see if I made an error in my calculations, however, after that, I would hold the medication and then double check the order with the physician. So, does next mean, first thing I would do, then I would pick B or should I pick F?? HELP!

Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

I've never calculated a dose, so I'm confused by that part, but I also think the correct answer is F. Try not to think too much. Usually your first choice is the correct one.

Specializes in LTC, Critical Care, Med Surg, Dialysis.

As a "NEW" nurse and an old Paramedic.....I would choose F

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

you calculated a dosage of medication to be 40 tablets of lasix. what do you do next?

a) double check the order with the physician

b) recalculate the order

c) give the medication

d) hold the medication

e) all of the above

f) all except c

you must read the stem of the question carefully. the question is asking, what do you do next? that wording alone, eliminates choices e (all of the above) and f (all except c) because it clearly indicates that there is only one action it is looking for you to take, not a list of actions. there is a sequence of the actions to take. the order of actions would be:

  • recalculate the order
  • hold the medication
  • double check the order with the physician
  • give the medication

but that is not what the stem of the question asked.

Very strange question. First off, I don't think I ever had to calculate a lasix dose, the MD writes what he wants for his/her pt. I would pick F, bc when you recalculate you are essentially holding the med, not give the medication at the same time. So if there are simultaneous answers, it would have to be F... I would think.

i think some persons are mis applying the word calculate.....the manner in which it is to be administered is what is being "calculated" ie, how many tabs would be required to equal the dose ordered by the physician, that is why the answer is RECALCULATE.....

Specializes in Gerontology.

Now that is so funny I really did laugh my a%# off. I wish I worked with someone who had half your sense of humor

Yeah - I'm a little warped at times!

Specializes in ICU/CCU, Home Health/Hospice, Cath Lab,.
Like I said in a previous thread. I am going on my 2nd interview for a hospital job and they have given me a "sample" medication test and one of the questions is this:

You calculated a dosage of medication to be 40 tablets of Lasix. What do you do next?

a) double check the order with the physician

b) recalculate the order

c) give the medication

d) hold the medication

e) all of the above

f) all except c

NOW, my point of view is this, what I would do next is, recalculate the order to see if I made an error in my calculations, however, after that, I would hold the medication and then double check the order with the physician. So, does next mean, first thing I would do, then I would pick B or should I pick F?? HELP!

If I can add my own overthinking :specs:

You have 2 answers which are mutually incompatible. Answer C and D can not exist together. So if you came up with this calculation and didn't choose C then by logic you have to choose D (since if you did not give it you must have held it). Whenever you have an order for medication your first choice is always either to hold or give. Once you have decided that you can go on to decide what else you want to do.

So, you have calculated an insane number of pills for the lasix - do you hold or give? Once you have decided that (please say hold) you can decide to either recalculate or call the doctor.

That being said I think we are reading to much into the word next - although it can mean a single item in a series, it can also mean the whole series. So if this question came up I would answer F and explain myself. In most interviews it truly is not the answer but how you came to your conclusion - if you show critical thinking and the nursing process you will pass most interviews.

Hope this helps

Pat

you calculated a dosage of medication to be 40 tablets of lasix. what do you do next?

a) double check the order with the physician

b) recalculate the order

c) give the medication

d) hold the medication

e) all of the above

f) all except c

maybe i
am
reading too much into this but...

shouldn't (f) read "all except c and e"?

by picking (f) as it stands, it allows answer (e), which would include giving the med.

just wondering...

leslie

maybe i am reading too much into this BUT...

shouldn't (f) read "all except c and e"?

by picking (f) as it stands, it allows answer (e), which would include giving the med.

just wondering...

leslie

Shoot. I missed the all of the above option entirely. Can't be F then. I'd say hold the med, then recalculate. Not sure it's a trick question, but definitely tricky.. kinda reminds me of nursing school.:specs:

Story of my life is over complicating things especially exam questions.

Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

I'd say recheck my calculation if the first attempt came up with some outlandish amount. Shouldn't you double check calculations anyway?

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
maybe i am reading too much into this BUT...

shouldn't (f) read "all except c and e"?

by picking (f) as it stands, it allows answer (e), which would include giving the med.

just wondering...

leslie

It doesn't matter if they are wrong answer choices. Writers of test questions do this deliberately to distract the person taking the test. The only information that is of importance is what is contained in the stem of the question and the answer that matches with the stem. All the rest are distractors and can be meant to deliberately fool you or lead you to read too much into the question.

I took seminars in test writing. The difference between anyone who writes test questions and, lets say, NCLEX or certification test question writers is that the level of fairness increases dramatically with these national licensing and certification exams because they are scrutinized by panels that check and double check the questions before students get them. Who checks these kinds of questions, like the OP has posted, for fairness?

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