NCLEX STYLE: PHARMACOKINETICS,
PHARMACODYNAMICS, AND
PHARMACOGENETICS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
1. A nurse is preparing to administer an oral drug that is best absorbed in an
acidic environment. How will the
nurse give the drug?
a. On an empty stomach
b. With a full glass of water
c. With food
d. With high-fat food
ANS: C
Food can stimulate the production of gastric acid so medications requiring an
acidic environment should be
given with a meal. High-fat foods are useful for drugs that are lipid soluble. -
2. The nurse is preparing an injectable drug and wants to administer it for rapid
absorption. How will the nurse
give this medication?
a. IM into the deltoid muscle
Page 1 of 20
,b. IM into the gluteal muscle
c. SubQ into abdominal tissue
d. SubQ into the upper arm
ANS: A
Drugs given IM are absorbed faster in muscles that have more blood vessels,
such as the deltoid, rather than
those with fewer blood vessels, such as the gluteals. Subcutaneous routes are
used when absorption needs to be
slower and more sustained. -
3. The nurse is reviewing medication information with a nursing student prior to
administering an oral drug
and notes that the drug has extensive first-pass effects. Which statement by the
student indicates a need forfurther teaching about this medication?
a. The first-pass effect means the drug may be absorbed into systemic
circulation from the intestinal lumen.
b. The first-pass effect means the drug may be changed to an inactive form and
excreted.
c. The first-pass effect means the drug may be changed to a metabolite, which
may be more active than the
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, original.
d. The first-pass effect means the drug may be unchanged as it passes through
the liver. - a. The first-pass effect means the drug may be absorbed into
systemic circulation from the intestinal lumen.
ANS: A
Drugs that undergo first-pass metabolism are absorbed into the portal vein from
the intestinal lumen and go
through the liver where they are either unchanged or are metabolized to an
inactive or a more active form.
4. The nurse prepares to change a patients medication from an intravenous to an
oral form and notes that the
oral form is ordered in a higher dose. The nurse understands that this is due to
differences in
a. bioavailability.
b. pinocytosis.
c. protein binding.
d. tachyphylaxis. - a. bioavailability.
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PHARMACODYNAMICS, AND
PHARMACOGENETICS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
1. A nurse is preparing to administer an oral drug that is best absorbed in an
acidic environment. How will the
nurse give the drug?
a. On an empty stomach
b. With a full glass of water
c. With food
d. With high-fat food
ANS: C
Food can stimulate the production of gastric acid so medications requiring an
acidic environment should be
given with a meal. High-fat foods are useful for drugs that are lipid soluble. -
2. The nurse is preparing an injectable drug and wants to administer it for rapid
absorption. How will the nurse
give this medication?
a. IM into the deltoid muscle
Page 1 of 20
,b. IM into the gluteal muscle
c. SubQ into abdominal tissue
d. SubQ into the upper arm
ANS: A
Drugs given IM are absorbed faster in muscles that have more blood vessels,
such as the deltoid, rather than
those with fewer blood vessels, such as the gluteals. Subcutaneous routes are
used when absorption needs to be
slower and more sustained. -
3. The nurse is reviewing medication information with a nursing student prior to
administering an oral drug
and notes that the drug has extensive first-pass effects. Which statement by the
student indicates a need forfurther teaching about this medication?
a. The first-pass effect means the drug may be absorbed into systemic
circulation from the intestinal lumen.
b. The first-pass effect means the drug may be changed to an inactive form and
excreted.
c. The first-pass effect means the drug may be changed to a metabolite, which
may be more active than the
Page 2 of 20
, original.
d. The first-pass effect means the drug may be unchanged as it passes through
the liver. - a. The first-pass effect means the drug may be absorbed into
systemic circulation from the intestinal lumen.
ANS: A
Drugs that undergo first-pass metabolism are absorbed into the portal vein from
the intestinal lumen and go
through the liver where they are either unchanged or are metabolized to an
inactive or a more active form.
4. The nurse prepares to change a patients medication from an intravenous to an
oral form and notes that the
oral form is ordered in a higher dose. The nurse understands that this is due to
differences in
a. bioavailability.
b. pinocytosis.
c. protein binding.
d. tachyphylaxis. - a. bioavailability.
Page 3 of 20
