Pharmacology Exam #4 Study Questions
And Full Set Correct Solutions
Chapter 10
A patient was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last month, and has
complained of a dull ache in the abdomen for the past 4 months. This pain
has been gradually increasing, and the pain relievers taken at home are no
longer effective. What type of pain is the patient experiencing?
a. Acute pain
b. Chronic pain
c. Somatic pain
d. Neuropathic pain - Ans--b. Chronic pain
Chronic pain is associated with cancer and is characterized by slow onset,
long duration, and dull, persistent aching. The patient's symptoms are not
characteristics of acute pain, somatic pain, or neuropathic pain.
An 18-year-old basketball player fell and twisted his ankle during a game.
The nurse will expect to administer which type of analgesic?
a. Synthetic opioid, such as meperidine (Demerol)
b. Opium alkaloid, such as morphine sulfate
c. Opioid antagonist, such as naloxone HCL (Narcan)
d. Nonopioid analgesic, such as indomethacin (Indocin) - Ans--d.
Nonopioid analgesic, such as indomethacin (Indocin)
Somatic pain, which originates from skeletal muscles, ligaments, and joints,
usually responds to nonopioid analgesics such as nonsteroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The other options are not the best choices
for somatic pain.
,A patient is recovering from abdominal surgery, which he had this morning.
He is groggy but complaining of severe pain around his incision. What is the
most important assessment data to consider before the nurse administers a
dose of morphine sulfate to the patient?
a. His pulse rate
b. His respiratory rate
c. The appearance of the incision
d. The date of his last bowel movement - Ans--b. His respiratory rate
One of the most serious adverse effects of opioids is respiratory
depression. The nurse must assess the patient's respiratory rate before
administering an opioid. The other options are incorrect.
. A 78-year-old patient is in the recovery room after having a lengthy surgery
on his hip. As he is gradually awakening, he requests pain medication.
Within 10 minutes after receiving a dose of morphine sulfate, he is very
lethargic and his respirations are shallow, with a rate of 7 per minute. The
nurse prepares for which priority action at this time?
a. Assessment of the patient's pain level
b. Immediate intubation and artificial ventilation
c. Administration of naloxone (Narcan)
d. Close observation of signs of opioid tolerance - Ans--c. Administration of
naloxone (Narcan)
Naloxone, an opioid-reversal agent, is used to reverse the effects of acute
opioid overdose and is the drug of choice for reversal of opioid-induced
respiratory depression. This situation is describing an opioid overdose, not
opioid tolerance. Intubation and artificial ventilation are not appropriate
because the patient is still breathing at 7 breaths/min. It would be
inappropriate to assess the patient's level of pain.
A patient will be discharged with a 1-week supply of an opioid analgesic for
pain management after abdominal surgery. The nurse will include which
information in the teaching plan?
a. How to prevent dehydration due to diarrhea
b. The importance of taking the drug only when the pain becomes severe
c. How to prevent constipation
, d. The importance of taking the drug on an empty stomach - Ans--c. How to
prevent constipation
Gastrointestinal (GI) adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and
constipation, are the most common adverse effects associated with opioid
analgesics. Physical dependence usually occurs in patients undergoing
long-term treatment. Diarrhea is not an effect of opioid analgesics. Taking
the dose with food may help minimize GI upset.
A patient has been treated for lung cancer for 3 years. Over the past few
months, the patient has noticed that the opioid analgesic is not helping as
much as it had previously and more medication is needed for the same pain
relief. The nurse is aware that this patient is experiencing which of these?
a. Opioid addiction
b. Opioid tolerance
c. Opioid toxicity
d. Opioid abstinence syndrome - Ans--b. Opioid tolerance
Opioid tolerance is a common physiologic result of long-term opioid use.
Patients with opioid tolerance require larger doses of the opioid agent to
maintain the same level of analgesia. This situation does not describe
toxicity (overdose), addiction, or abstinence syndrome (withdrawal).
A 38-year-old man has come into the urgent care center with severe hip
pain after falling from a ladder at work. He says he has taken several pain
pills over the past few hours but cannot remember how many he has taken.
He hands the nurse an empty bottle of acetaminophen (Tylenol). The nurse
is aware that the most serious toxic effect of acute acetaminophen
overdose is which condition?
a. Tachycardia
b. Central nervous system depression
c. Hepatic necrosis
d. Nephropathy - Ans--c. Hepatic necrosis
Hepatic necrosis is the most serious acute toxic effect of an acute overdose
of acetaminophen. The other options are incorrect.
And Full Set Correct Solutions
Chapter 10
A patient was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last month, and has
complained of a dull ache in the abdomen for the past 4 months. This pain
has been gradually increasing, and the pain relievers taken at home are no
longer effective. What type of pain is the patient experiencing?
a. Acute pain
b. Chronic pain
c. Somatic pain
d. Neuropathic pain - Ans--b. Chronic pain
Chronic pain is associated with cancer and is characterized by slow onset,
long duration, and dull, persistent aching. The patient's symptoms are not
characteristics of acute pain, somatic pain, or neuropathic pain.
An 18-year-old basketball player fell and twisted his ankle during a game.
The nurse will expect to administer which type of analgesic?
a. Synthetic opioid, such as meperidine (Demerol)
b. Opium alkaloid, such as morphine sulfate
c. Opioid antagonist, such as naloxone HCL (Narcan)
d. Nonopioid analgesic, such as indomethacin (Indocin) - Ans--d.
Nonopioid analgesic, such as indomethacin (Indocin)
Somatic pain, which originates from skeletal muscles, ligaments, and joints,
usually responds to nonopioid analgesics such as nonsteroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The other options are not the best choices
for somatic pain.
,A patient is recovering from abdominal surgery, which he had this morning.
He is groggy but complaining of severe pain around his incision. What is the
most important assessment data to consider before the nurse administers a
dose of morphine sulfate to the patient?
a. His pulse rate
b. His respiratory rate
c. The appearance of the incision
d. The date of his last bowel movement - Ans--b. His respiratory rate
One of the most serious adverse effects of opioids is respiratory
depression. The nurse must assess the patient's respiratory rate before
administering an opioid. The other options are incorrect.
. A 78-year-old patient is in the recovery room after having a lengthy surgery
on his hip. As he is gradually awakening, he requests pain medication.
Within 10 minutes after receiving a dose of morphine sulfate, he is very
lethargic and his respirations are shallow, with a rate of 7 per minute. The
nurse prepares for which priority action at this time?
a. Assessment of the patient's pain level
b. Immediate intubation and artificial ventilation
c. Administration of naloxone (Narcan)
d. Close observation of signs of opioid tolerance - Ans--c. Administration of
naloxone (Narcan)
Naloxone, an opioid-reversal agent, is used to reverse the effects of acute
opioid overdose and is the drug of choice for reversal of opioid-induced
respiratory depression. This situation is describing an opioid overdose, not
opioid tolerance. Intubation and artificial ventilation are not appropriate
because the patient is still breathing at 7 breaths/min. It would be
inappropriate to assess the patient's level of pain.
A patient will be discharged with a 1-week supply of an opioid analgesic for
pain management after abdominal surgery. The nurse will include which
information in the teaching plan?
a. How to prevent dehydration due to diarrhea
b. The importance of taking the drug only when the pain becomes severe
c. How to prevent constipation
, d. The importance of taking the drug on an empty stomach - Ans--c. How to
prevent constipation
Gastrointestinal (GI) adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and
constipation, are the most common adverse effects associated with opioid
analgesics. Physical dependence usually occurs in patients undergoing
long-term treatment. Diarrhea is not an effect of opioid analgesics. Taking
the dose with food may help minimize GI upset.
A patient has been treated for lung cancer for 3 years. Over the past few
months, the patient has noticed that the opioid analgesic is not helping as
much as it had previously and more medication is needed for the same pain
relief. The nurse is aware that this patient is experiencing which of these?
a. Opioid addiction
b. Opioid tolerance
c. Opioid toxicity
d. Opioid abstinence syndrome - Ans--b. Opioid tolerance
Opioid tolerance is a common physiologic result of long-term opioid use.
Patients with opioid tolerance require larger doses of the opioid agent to
maintain the same level of analgesia. This situation does not describe
toxicity (overdose), addiction, or abstinence syndrome (withdrawal).
A 38-year-old man has come into the urgent care center with severe hip
pain after falling from a ladder at work. He says he has taken several pain
pills over the past few hours but cannot remember how many he has taken.
He hands the nurse an empty bottle of acetaminophen (Tylenol). The nurse
is aware that the most serious toxic effect of acute acetaminophen
overdose is which condition?
a. Tachycardia
b. Central nervous system depression
c. Hepatic necrosis
d. Nephropathy - Ans--c. Hepatic necrosis
Hepatic necrosis is the most serious acute toxic effect of an acute overdose
of acetaminophen. The other options are incorrect.
