California Nursing Home Administrator License Practice Exam

Prior to administering medication, staff must first:

1. Check the medication cabinet for accuracy

2. Consult with each resident's primary doctor

3. Wash their hands

4. Prepare medications in advance to save time

The correct answer is: Wash their hands

Washing hands prior to administering medication is a critical practice in nursing and healthcare settings to prevent the transmission of infections. This step is part of standard infection control protocols, ensuring that both the staff and residents are protected from potential contamination. Hand hygiene significantly reduces the risk of spreading pathogens that could lead to healthcare-associated infections, which are a serious concern in nursing homes and similar facilities. This practice aligns with the broader framework of maintaining a sterile environment, reinforcing the responsibility of healthcare providers to prioritize patient safety and health above all else. By ensuring clean hands before handling medications, the healthcare professional actively contributes to a safer medication administration process. The other options, while potentially relevant in different scenarios, do not directly address the immediate necessity of hand hygiene right before medication administration. Checking the medication cabinet, consulting with a primary doctor, or preparing medications in advance are important tasks within the medication administration process; however, they do not take precedence over the critical step of handwashing.