Pharmacology HESI Practice Exam 1 – Opioid and
Benzodiazepine Interactions, Aspirin Toxicity and
Salicylism, Thyroid and Antithyroid Medications,
Cardiovascular and Antihypertensive Agents,
Anticoagulants and PT/INR Monitoring, Statins and
Myopathy Risk, NSAIDs and GI Protection,
Antibiotics and Hypersensitivity Reactions,
Respiratory and Asthma Medications, Emergency
and Critical Care Drugs, Chemotherapy and
Immunosuppressants, Endocrine and Diabetic
Agents, Electrolyte Imbalances, Adverse Drug
Reactions, Nursing Assessments, Client Teaching
Priorities, and High-Risk Medication Safety –
Comprehensive Exam Questions Verified and
Provided with Complete A+ Graded Rationales
Latest Updated 2026
Which medications should the nurse caution the client about taking while receiving an opioid
analgesic?
Antacids.
Benzodiazepines.
Antihypertensives.
Oral antidiabetics.
Benzodiazepines.
The nurse is assessing the effectiveness of high dose aspirin therapy for an 88-year-old client
with arthritis. The client reports that she can't hear the nurse's questions because her ears are
ringing. What action should the nurse implement?
Refer the client to an audiologist for evaluation of her hearing.
Advise the client that this is a common side effect of aspirin therapy.
,Notify the healthcare provider of this finding immediately.
Ask the client to turn off her hearing aid during the exam.
Notify the healthcare provider of this finding immediately.
A client is admitted to the hospital for diagnostic testing for possible myasthenia gravis. The
nurse prepares for intravenous administration of edrophonium chloride (Tensilon). What is the
expected outcome for this client following administration of this pharmacologic agent?
Progressive difficulty with swallowing.
Decreased respiratory effort.
Improvement in generalized fatigue.
Decreased muscle weakness.
Decreased muscle weakness.
A 43-year-old female client is receiving thyroid replacement hormone following a
thyroidectomy. What adverse effects associated with thyroid hormone toxicity should the nurse
instruct the client to report promptly to the healthcare provider?
Tinnitus and dizziness.
Tachycardia and chest pain.
Dry skin and intolerance to cold.
Weight gain and increased appetite.
Tachycardia and chest pain.
A client with osteoarthritis receives a new prescription for celecoxib (Celebrex) orally for
symptom management. The nurse notes the client is allergic to sulfa. Which action is most
important for the nurse to implement prior to administering the first dose?
Review the client's hemoglobin results.
Notify the healthcare provider.
Inquire about the reaction to sulfa.
Record the client's vital signs.
Notify the healthcare provider.
The nurse is reviewing the use of the patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump with a client in
the immediate postoperative period. The client will receive morphine 1 mg IV per hour basal
rate with 1 mg IV every 15 minutes per PCA to total 5 mg IV maximally per hour. What
assessment has the highest priority before initiating the PCA pump?
, The expiration date on the morphine syringe in the pump.
The rate and depth of the client's respirations.
The type of anesthesia used during the surgical procedure.
The client's subjective and objective signs of pain.
The rate and depth of the client's respirations.
A client is receiving methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) 40 mg IV daily. The nurse anticipates an
increase in which laboratory value as the result of this medication?
Serum glucose.
Serum calcium.
Red blood cells.
Serum potassium.
Serum glucose.
In evaluating the effects of lactulose (Cephulac), which outcome would indicate that the drug is
performing as intended?
An increase in urine output.
Two or three soft stools per day.
Watery, diarrhea stools.
Increased serum bilirubin.
Two or three soft stools per day.
A client is receiving ampicillin sodium (Omnipen) for a sinus infection. The nurse should instruct
the client to notify the healthcare provider immediately if which symptom occurs?
Rash.
Nausea.
Headache.
Dizziness.
Rash.
The nurse is teaching a client with cancer about opioid management for intractable pain and
tolerance related side effects. The nurse should prepare the client for which side effect that is
most likely to persist during long-term use of opioids?
Benzodiazepine Interactions, Aspirin Toxicity and
Salicylism, Thyroid and Antithyroid Medications,
Cardiovascular and Antihypertensive Agents,
Anticoagulants and PT/INR Monitoring, Statins and
Myopathy Risk, NSAIDs and GI Protection,
Antibiotics and Hypersensitivity Reactions,
Respiratory and Asthma Medications, Emergency
and Critical Care Drugs, Chemotherapy and
Immunosuppressants, Endocrine and Diabetic
Agents, Electrolyte Imbalances, Adverse Drug
Reactions, Nursing Assessments, Client Teaching
Priorities, and High-Risk Medication Safety –
Comprehensive Exam Questions Verified and
Provided with Complete A+ Graded Rationales
Latest Updated 2026
Which medications should the nurse caution the client about taking while receiving an opioid
analgesic?
Antacids.
Benzodiazepines.
Antihypertensives.
Oral antidiabetics.
Benzodiazepines.
The nurse is assessing the effectiveness of high dose aspirin therapy for an 88-year-old client
with arthritis. The client reports that she can't hear the nurse's questions because her ears are
ringing. What action should the nurse implement?
Refer the client to an audiologist for evaluation of her hearing.
Advise the client that this is a common side effect of aspirin therapy.
,Notify the healthcare provider of this finding immediately.
Ask the client to turn off her hearing aid during the exam.
Notify the healthcare provider of this finding immediately.
A client is admitted to the hospital for diagnostic testing for possible myasthenia gravis. The
nurse prepares for intravenous administration of edrophonium chloride (Tensilon). What is the
expected outcome for this client following administration of this pharmacologic agent?
Progressive difficulty with swallowing.
Decreased respiratory effort.
Improvement in generalized fatigue.
Decreased muscle weakness.
Decreased muscle weakness.
A 43-year-old female client is receiving thyroid replacement hormone following a
thyroidectomy. What adverse effects associated with thyroid hormone toxicity should the nurse
instruct the client to report promptly to the healthcare provider?
Tinnitus and dizziness.
Tachycardia and chest pain.
Dry skin and intolerance to cold.
Weight gain and increased appetite.
Tachycardia and chest pain.
A client with osteoarthritis receives a new prescription for celecoxib (Celebrex) orally for
symptom management. The nurse notes the client is allergic to sulfa. Which action is most
important for the nurse to implement prior to administering the first dose?
Review the client's hemoglobin results.
Notify the healthcare provider.
Inquire about the reaction to sulfa.
Record the client's vital signs.
Notify the healthcare provider.
The nurse is reviewing the use of the patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump with a client in
the immediate postoperative period. The client will receive morphine 1 mg IV per hour basal
rate with 1 mg IV every 15 minutes per PCA to total 5 mg IV maximally per hour. What
assessment has the highest priority before initiating the PCA pump?
, The expiration date on the morphine syringe in the pump.
The rate and depth of the client's respirations.
The type of anesthesia used during the surgical procedure.
The client's subjective and objective signs of pain.
The rate and depth of the client's respirations.
A client is receiving methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) 40 mg IV daily. The nurse anticipates an
increase in which laboratory value as the result of this medication?
Serum glucose.
Serum calcium.
Red blood cells.
Serum potassium.
Serum glucose.
In evaluating the effects of lactulose (Cephulac), which outcome would indicate that the drug is
performing as intended?
An increase in urine output.
Two or three soft stools per day.
Watery, diarrhea stools.
Increased serum bilirubin.
Two or three soft stools per day.
A client is receiving ampicillin sodium (Omnipen) for a sinus infection. The nurse should instruct
the client to notify the healthcare provider immediately if which symptom occurs?
Rash.
Nausea.
Headache.
Dizziness.
Rash.
The nurse is teaching a client with cancer about opioid management for intractable pain and
tolerance related side effects. The nurse should prepare the client for which side effect that is
most likely to persist during long-term use of opioids?
