The MACE is a 60-question, 120-minute exam that certifies you to give medications under a nurse’s supervision. Most of the test — 60% of it — is medication administration, observation, and reporting, so that is where your study time should go. Here is a practical plan built around how the exam is actually weighted.
10+ yrs
exam-prep publishing
Free
on iOS & Android
Built to help you pass faster — by exam-prep publishers with 10+ years' experience
💡 Key Takeaways — the one transferable rule per question
🔍 Hint highlights — the decisive cue phrases in each stem
📖 Full rationales — why every option is right or wrong
Every MACE question is written to the current exam outline for quick learning and a clear pass strategy.
Written and reviewed by the LexPort exam-prep team, led by our Founder & Exam-Prep Lead. LexPort builds certification practice questions — this is exam-preparation material, not medical advice. Last reviewed August 2026.
Practice the full MACE simulator — free to start
Full question bank · timed mock exams · every answer explained — right in your browser
The MACE has 60 questions (50 scored, 10 unscored pretest) across three areas: Medication Administration, Observation & Reporting (60%), Medication Concepts & Measurements (24%), and Authorized Duties (16%). Because administration is more than half the exam, master the six rights, routes, and what to observe and report before anything else.
Where do most people lose points?
Two places: dosage and measurement conversions, and knowing the limits of the medication aide role — when you must stop and hand off to the nurse. Practice conversions until they are automatic, and learn the tasks a medication aide may not perform.
How long should I study?
Most candidates are ready in three to four weeks studying a little each day: one week on administration and the six rights, one on concepts and measurements, one on authorized duties and legal/ethical limits, then timed full-length practice at the real 60-question, 120-minute pace.
Start by finding your gaps
Every honest study plan starts with knowing what you don't know. Try three practice questions.
Question 1
You are administering morning medications to Mr. Davis. As you hand him his oral medications in a cup, he says he needs to use the restroom urgently and asks you to leave the cup on his bedside table so he can take them when he returns. What is the best action?
▸ Why D is the answer
This is correct. Medications must remain under the direct observation and control of the Medication Aide until they are swallowed by the intended resident. Leaving the cup on the table is tempting because it honors the resident's request, but medications must never be left unattended at the bedside due to the risk of loss or another resident taking them. Asking the roommate is tempting as a way to secure the room, but it violates privacy laws and delegates a safety responsibility to another resident, which is strictly prohibited. Documenting as refused is tempting if the time window is closing, but the resident did not refuse the medication; he only requested a brief delay for a basic need.
Question 2
Ten minutes after receiving a routine oral antibiotic, Mrs. Chen suddenly reports difficulty swallowing. You observe swelling around her lips and hear audible wheezing. What is your immediate priority?
▸ Why A is the answer
This is correct. Anaphylaxis is a rapid, life-threatening emergency. The Medication Aide must not leave the resident and must call the nurse immediately for assessment and intervention. Administering a PRN antihistamine is tempting if one is ordered, but the Medication Aide cannot independently assess an allergic reaction and initiate emergency treatment without RN direction. Checking vital signs is tempting because it gathers clinical data, but it delays immediate RN notification during a critical airway emergency. Documenting and notifying later is tempting as a standard reporting method for minor issues, but it is highly dangerous because airway swelling requires immediate emergency intervention.
Question 3
Which of the following routes of medication administration is strictly outside the scope of practice for a Medication Aide?
▸ Why D is the answer
Intramuscular administration is correct because all injections are invasive, require specialized sterile technique and nursing assessment, and are strictly outside the Medication Aide's scope of practice. Sublingual (under the tongue) administration is a permitted, routine route within the Medication Aide's scope. Transdermal (patch) administration is a permitted topical route within the Medication Aide's scope. Ophthalmic (eye drop) administration is a permitted, routine route within the Medication Aide's scope.
Unlock the full MACE question bank
Timed, scored, with progress tracking and every answer explained. Free to start.