answers | Updated RATED A+ | 2026
A nurse is preparing to give an oral dose of drug X to treat a pa ent's high blood pressure. A er
giving the drug, the nurse finds that it reduces the blood pressure without serious harmful
effects, but it also causes the pa ent to have nausea and a headache. Based on this informa on,
which property of an ideal drug is this drug lacking?
Effec veness
Safety
Selec vity
Ease of administra on
Selec vity
The drug is effec ve in lowering the blood pressure and safe in that it does not cause harmful
effects. However, as do most drugs, it causes other effects besides the one response desired;
therefore, it lacks selec vity. The oral form provides ease of administra on.
The nurse is preparing to give a drug with certain proper es. Which property of the drug is the
most compelling indica on that it should not be given?
The drug produces an unwanted side effect.
The drug is difficult to administer.
The drug's effects are reversible.
The drug is not effec ve for its intended purpose.
The drug is not effec ve for its intended purpose
f a drug is not effec ve, there is no jus fica on for giving it. Some drugs may be given even
though they produce unwanted side effects or are difficult to administer. Reversible ac on is a
desired property for most drugs.
Why is it important for drugs to have ease of administra on?
Fewer administra on errors
Less risk of side effects
,Greater chemical stability
Greater likelihood of reversibility
Fewer Admin errors
Ease of administra on increases convenience and adherence and can reduce administra on
errors. Ease of administra on is not related to side effects, chemical stability, or reversibility.
The nurse teaches a pa ent not to consume alcohol with nitroglycerine, because the blood
pressure o en drops significantly when nitroglycerine is taken with alcohol. Which drug
property does this illustrate?
Chemical instability
Drug interac on
Reversible ac on
Drug selec vity
Drug interac on
When two or more drugs are taken together, they can interact, causing either increased or
decreased drug responses. In this case, alcohol would increase the nitroglycerine response.
Chemical instability, reversible ac on, and drug selec vity are not related to this situa on.
When studying the impact a drug has on the body, the nurse is reviewing what?
The drug's pharmacokine cs
The drug's selec vity
The drug's pharmacodynamics
The drug's predictability
Pharmacodynamics
Pharmacodynamics can be thought of as the impact of drugs on the body. Pharmacokine cs
describes the movement of drugs through the body. Selec vity is the ability of a drug to elicit
only the response for which it is given. Predictability is the degree of certainty about how a
pa ent will respond to a certain drug.
When studying the effects of drugs in humans, the nurse is learning about what?
Pharmacology
Clinical pharmacology
, Therapeu cs
Effec veness
Clinical pharmacology
Clinical pharmacology is the study of the effects of drugs in humans. Pharmacology can be
defined as the study of drugs and their interac ons with living systems. Therapeu cs, also
known as pharmacotherapeu cs, is the use of drugs to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease or to
prevent pregnancy. The term effec veness indicates that the drug elicits the intended response
or responses.
Which statement by a new nurse indicates that further study is indicated?
Effec veness is the most important property a drug can have.
There is no such thing as a safe drug.
Drugs are defined as illegal substances.
There is no such thing as a selec ve drug; all medica ons cause side effects.
drugs are defined as illegal substances
What is the ul mate concern for the nurse when administering a drug?
Intensity of the response
Dosage
Route of administra on
Timing of administra on
Intensity of the response
What is the objec ve of drug therapy?
Provide maximum benefit with minimal harm
Provide minimum benefit with maximum harm
Provide total relief of symptoms regardless of harm
Provide as much benefit as possible
Provide maximum benefits with minimal harm
The nurse is preparing to administer a dose of penicillin. Before administering the medica on,
the nurse assesses the pa ent's allergy history. Which aspect of drug therapy does this
represent?