Comprehensive Pharmacology I Final Exam
Review for Nursing Students UPDATED
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Pharmacology - CORRECT ANSWER - Study of biological effects of chemicals
Pharmacotherapeutics (Clinical Pharmacology) - CORRECT ANSWER - Focus on how drugs are
used to treat disease
Prototype Drug - CORRECT ANSWER - Original drug from which similar drugs are derived
Nursing Responsibilities - CORRECT ANSWER - Administering medications safely, assessing
drug effects, intervening to make drug regimens more tolerable, providing patient teaching about
medications, monitoring overall care plan to prevent medication errors
Natural Sources of Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Plants (digoxin from foxglove, morphine from
poppy), animal products (insulin, heparin - now mostly synthetic), inorganic compounds (salts such as
magnesium, iron)
Synthetic Sources of Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Genetic engineering, laboratory synthesis
Preclinical Trials - CORRECT ANSWER - In vitro and in vivo (animal) testing
Phase I - CORRECT ANSWER - Testing on healthy human volunteers
Phase II - CORRECT ANSWER - Testing on informed patients with the disease
Phase III - CORRECT ANSWER - Large-scale testing on broader population
,FDA Approval - CORRECT ANSWER - Drug may be marketed if approved
Phase IV - CORRECT ANSWER - Continual evaluation after market release
Pregnancy Safety Categories - CORRECT ANSWER - Category A: No risk demonstrated in
pregnancy, Category B: Animal studies show no risk, but no adequate human studies, Category C: Risk
cannot be ruled out; benefits may outweigh risks, Category D: Evidence of fetal risk, but benefits may be
acceptable, Category X: Contraindicated in pregnancy - risk outweighs any benefit
DEA Controlled Substance Schedules - CORRECT ANSWER - Schedule I: High abuse potential,
no accepted medical use (heroin, LSD), Schedule II: High abuse potential, severe dependence (narcotics,
amphetamines), Schedule III: Moderate abuse potential, moderate dependence, Schedule IV: Lower abuse
potential, limited dependence, Schedule V: Limited abuse potential (codeine antitussives)
Generic Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Produced after patent expires, must have same strength,
dosage form, and route
Orphan Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Drugs for rare diseases with financial incentives (Orphan
Drug Act of 1983)
OTC Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Available without prescription but can mask symptoms,
cause interactions
Assessment in Nursing Process - CORRECT ANSWER - Physical exam, history, patient
age/weight/height, medication indication, social history
Planning in Nursing Process - CORRECT ANSWER - Prioritize information and set measurable
goals
Interventions in Nursing Process - CORRECT ANSWER - Proper drug administration and
medication education
Evaluation in Nursing Process - CORRECT ANSWER - Assess if interventions worked and adjust
as needed
, Just and Safe Culture - CORRECT ANSWER - ANA encourages reporting drug errors to improve
systems
Root Cause Analysis - CORRECT ANSWER - Investigation to identify underlying causes of errors
Sentinel Event - CORRECT ANSWER - Unexpected occurrence involving death or serious injury
Medication Administration Errors (MAEs) - CORRECT ANSWER - Any failure in one or more of
the five rights
Five Rights of Medication Administration - CORRECT ANSWER - Right Patient, Right Drug,
Right Dose, Right Time, Right Route
High-Alert Medications - CORRECT ANSWER - Can cause significant harm if given in error
Look-Alike, Sound-Alike Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Examples include Ephedrine -
Epinephrine, Diazepam - Diltiazem
Health Literacy - CORRECT ANSWER - Ability to understand, access, evaluate, and use health
information
Complementary and Alternative Therapies - CORRECT ANSWER - Include botanicals, nutritional
products, herbal supplements
Chemotherapeutic Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Used to destroy invading organisms and
abnormal cells
Bactericidal - CORRECT ANSWER - Kills bacteria directly
Bacteriostatic - CORRECT ANSWER - Inhibits growth/reproduction, relies on immune system
Review for Nursing Students UPDATED
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Pharmacology - CORRECT ANSWER - Study of biological effects of chemicals
Pharmacotherapeutics (Clinical Pharmacology) - CORRECT ANSWER - Focus on how drugs are
used to treat disease
Prototype Drug - CORRECT ANSWER - Original drug from which similar drugs are derived
Nursing Responsibilities - CORRECT ANSWER - Administering medications safely, assessing
drug effects, intervening to make drug regimens more tolerable, providing patient teaching about
medications, monitoring overall care plan to prevent medication errors
Natural Sources of Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Plants (digoxin from foxglove, morphine from
poppy), animal products (insulin, heparin - now mostly synthetic), inorganic compounds (salts such as
magnesium, iron)
Synthetic Sources of Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Genetic engineering, laboratory synthesis
Preclinical Trials - CORRECT ANSWER - In vitro and in vivo (animal) testing
Phase I - CORRECT ANSWER - Testing on healthy human volunteers
Phase II - CORRECT ANSWER - Testing on informed patients with the disease
Phase III - CORRECT ANSWER - Large-scale testing on broader population
,FDA Approval - CORRECT ANSWER - Drug may be marketed if approved
Phase IV - CORRECT ANSWER - Continual evaluation after market release
Pregnancy Safety Categories - CORRECT ANSWER - Category A: No risk demonstrated in
pregnancy, Category B: Animal studies show no risk, but no adequate human studies, Category C: Risk
cannot be ruled out; benefits may outweigh risks, Category D: Evidence of fetal risk, but benefits may be
acceptable, Category X: Contraindicated in pregnancy - risk outweighs any benefit
DEA Controlled Substance Schedules - CORRECT ANSWER - Schedule I: High abuse potential,
no accepted medical use (heroin, LSD), Schedule II: High abuse potential, severe dependence (narcotics,
amphetamines), Schedule III: Moderate abuse potential, moderate dependence, Schedule IV: Lower abuse
potential, limited dependence, Schedule V: Limited abuse potential (codeine antitussives)
Generic Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Produced after patent expires, must have same strength,
dosage form, and route
Orphan Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Drugs for rare diseases with financial incentives (Orphan
Drug Act of 1983)
OTC Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Available without prescription but can mask symptoms,
cause interactions
Assessment in Nursing Process - CORRECT ANSWER - Physical exam, history, patient
age/weight/height, medication indication, social history
Planning in Nursing Process - CORRECT ANSWER - Prioritize information and set measurable
goals
Interventions in Nursing Process - CORRECT ANSWER - Proper drug administration and
medication education
Evaluation in Nursing Process - CORRECT ANSWER - Assess if interventions worked and adjust
as needed
, Just and Safe Culture - CORRECT ANSWER - ANA encourages reporting drug errors to improve
systems
Root Cause Analysis - CORRECT ANSWER - Investigation to identify underlying causes of errors
Sentinel Event - CORRECT ANSWER - Unexpected occurrence involving death or serious injury
Medication Administration Errors (MAEs) - CORRECT ANSWER - Any failure in one or more of
the five rights
Five Rights of Medication Administration - CORRECT ANSWER - Right Patient, Right Drug,
Right Dose, Right Time, Right Route
High-Alert Medications - CORRECT ANSWER - Can cause significant harm if given in error
Look-Alike, Sound-Alike Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Examples include Ephedrine -
Epinephrine, Diazepam - Diltiazem
Health Literacy - CORRECT ANSWER - Ability to understand, access, evaluate, and use health
information
Complementary and Alternative Therapies - CORRECT ANSWER - Include botanicals, nutritional
products, herbal supplements
Chemotherapeutic Drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - Used to destroy invading organisms and
abnormal cells
Bactericidal - CORRECT ANSWER - Kills bacteria directly
Bacteriostatic - CORRECT ANSWER - Inhibits growth/reproduction, relies on immune system
