Massachusetts MAP Certification Practice Test

What should you do if the pharmacy delivers the wrong dosage?

1. Contact the pharmacy

2. Administer the dosage as delivered

3. Document the discrepancy

4. Call the health care provider

The correct answer is: Contact the pharmacy

Contacting the pharmacy is the appropriate action to take if the pharmacy delivers the wrong dosage. This step ensures that the issue is addressed directly with the source of the medication. The pharmacy can verify whether a mistake was made in the fulfillment of the prescription and can provide specific instructions on how to proceed. They may also be able to correct the error by sending the correct dosage or providing guidance on the next steps to ensure patient safety. Taking this action also helps in maintaining open communication and collaboration among healthcare providers, pharmacies, and patients, which is crucial for ensuring patient safety and proper medication management. It's important to resolve such discrepancies as soon as possible to avoid potential harm to the patient. While documenting the discrepancy is important for record-keeping and may be necessary later, it should follow the immediate action of contacting the pharmacy to rectify the dosage error. Administering the incorrect dosage can lead to adverse effects, and calling the healthcare provider would typically follow contacting the pharmacy to seek further guidance.