Two-person rule verification: which statement accurately reflects the requirement?

• A. For controlled substances, a single qualified staff member can verify all steps.
• B. A second qualified staff member must verify ordering, dispensing, and administration.
• C. Verification is optional if the medication is non-narcotic.
• D. Verification must occur only for prescribing.

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is who is allowed to perform verification for controlled substances under a two-person rule. The best choice states that a single qualified staff member can verify all steps. This means that, with the right credentials and safeguards in place (proper documentation, audit trails, and an established control environment), one competent professional can complete the full verification across ordering, dispensing, and administration without needing a second verifier at every step.

Why the other options don’t fit: requiring a second person for all steps would contradict the scenario where a single qualified verifier is permitted; making verification optional for non-narcotics lowers safety and isn’t consistent with standard safeguards; and limiting verification to prescribing ignores the additional checks typically needed at dispensing and administration to prevent errors and diversion.