MACE Sample Questions & Answers

A Medication Aide cannot delegate medication administration tasks. While a barrier cream may seem simple, it is still considered a medication. The authority to delegate tasks is reserved for licensed personnel like RNs or LPNs, who must follow the principles of delegation. An MA-C receives delegated tasks and cannot further delegate them.

Unexplained bruising or petechiae in a resident taking an anticoagulant like warfarin can be a sign of excessive anticoagulation and risk of serious bleeding. This is a potentially life-threatening adverse effect. The MA-C's most critical responsibility is to report this significant finding to the supervising nurse immediately so that a clinical assessment can be performed and the prescriber can be notified. The next dose of warfarin may need to be held pending lab results (INR).

Administering a medication with an unclear or ambiguous order is a major safety risk. The MA-C must never guess the dose. The proper procedure is to halt the administration process and follow the chain of command by consulting the supervising nurse. The nurse is the appropriate resource to contact the prescriber or pharmacist to clarify the order before the medication is given.

When multiple types of eye drops are ordered for the same eye, it is crucial to wait between administrations. Instilling them too close together can cause the first drop to be washed out by the second, reducing its effectiveness. A waiting period of at least 5 minutes allows for proper absorption of the first medication before the second is administered.

Aged cheeses, cured meats, and certain beers are rich in tyramine, an amino acid. When a person is taking a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI), the enzyme that breaks down tyramine is blocked.

The buildup of tyramine from the food interaction with the MAOI can cause a massive release of norepinephrine, leading to a rapid, severe, and dangerous increase in blood pressure known as a hypertensive crisis.

A paradoxical effect is a drug response that is contrary to its expected therapeutic outcome. A common example is when a sedative medication, intended to calm a person, causes agitation and hyperactivity, which is sometimes seen in elderly patients or children.

After ensuring immediate patient safety by reporting to the nurse, the next critical step is formal documentation. This is done via a facility-specific incident or variance report. The report should be a factual, objective account of what happened, without blame or personal opinion. This document is essential for legal, quality improvement, and risk management purposes.

A known allergy to penicillin is a critical finding. Many other antibiotics, particularly cephalosporins, have a cross-sensitivity with penicillin. Administering a new antibiotic without confirming it is safe for someone with a penicillin allergy is a major risk. The MA must hold the dose and immediately bring this information to the nurse's attention for verification and potential clarification with the prescriber or pharmacist.

The abbreviation 'q.d.' is prohibited because it can be easily misread as 'q.i.d.' if the period after the 'd' is mistaken for an 'i'. This could lead to a four-fold overdose of the medication. The correct practice is to write out 'daily' or 'once daily' to avoid any confusion.

A suspension is a type of liquid medication in which the drug particles are not dissolved but are suspended in the liquid. Over time, these particles settle at the bottom. To ensure the resident receives the correct dose, the bottle must be shaken well immediately before pouring to evenly redistribute the medication throughout the liquid.