ATI Pharmacology CMS Proctored with Ngn
Actual Exam Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A |
Instant Download Pdf.
Question 1:
A provider prescribes phenobarbital for a client who has a seizure
disorder. The medication has a long half-life of 4 days. How many
times per day should the nurse expect to administer this medication?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
Correct Answer: A. One
Rationale: Medications with long half-lives remain at their therapeutic
levels between doses for long periods of time. The nurse should expect to
administer this medication once a day.
Question 2:
A staff educator is reviewing medication dosages and factors that
influence medication metabolism. Which factors should the educator
include as a reason to administer lower medication dosages? (Select
all that apply)
A. Increased renal secretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes
,Correct Answer: C. Liver failure and E. Concurrent use of medication
the same pathway metabolizes
Rationale: Liver failure decreases metabolism, increasing medication
concentration. When two medications share the same metabolic
pathway, they compete for metabolism, increasing concentrations of
one or both.
Question 3:
A nurse is preparing to administer eye drops to a client. Which actions
should the nurse take? (Select all that apply)
A. Have the client lie on her side.
B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
C. Tell the client to blink when the drops enter her eye.
D. Drop the medication into the center of the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close her eye gently after instillation.
Correct Answer: B, D, E
Rationale: Looking up prevents drops from falling onto the cornea.
Dropping into the center of the conjunctival sac promotes distribution.
Closing the eye gently helps distribute the medication.
Question 4:
A nurse is completing discharge teaching for a client who has a new
prescription for transdermal patches. Which statement indicates
understanding?
A. "I will clean the site with an alcohol swab before I apply the patch."
B. "I will rotate the application sites weekly."
C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no hair."
D. "I will place the new patch on the site of the old patch."
Correct Answer: C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no
hair."
,Rationale: Applying the patch to a hairless area promotes absorption of
the medication.
Question 5:
A nurse reviewing a client's medical record notes a new prescription
for verifying the trough level of the client's medication. Which action
should the nurse take?
A. Obtain a blood specimen immediately prior to administering the
next dose of medication.
B. Verify that the client has been taking the medication for 24 hr
before obtaining a blood specimen.
C. Ask the client to provide a urine specimen instead of blood.
D. Obtain a blood specimen 45 min after IV infusion of the medication.
Correct Answer: A. Obtain a blood specimen immediately prior to
administering the next dose of medication.
Rationale: Trough levels measure the lowest concentration of
medication in the body, drawn just before the next dose is due.
Question 6:
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has a new
prescription for Warfarin. Which statement by the client indicates an
understanding of the teaching?
A. "I will take ibuprofen for my headaches."
B. "I will eat more green leafy vegetables."
C. "I will report any bruising to my provider."
D. "I will take my medication in the morning."
Correct Answer: C. "I will report any bruising to my provider."
Rationale: Bruising indicates bleeding due to excessive anticoagulation,
which is a serious adverse effect requiring provider notification.
, Question 7:
A nurse is assessing a client who is receiving a transfusion of packed
red blood cells. Which finding indicates the client is having a febrile
reaction?
A. Hypothermia
B. Severe back pain
C. Chills and fever
D. HypoTN
Correct Answer: C. Chills and fever
Rationale: Febrile transfusion reactions are characterized by chills, fever,
and headache, often due to antibodies against donor white blood cells.
Question 8:
A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has a new prescription
for Albuterol via inhaler. The nurse should instruct the client to
monitor for which adverse effect?
A. Drowsiness
B. Constipation
C. Tachycardia
D. Cough suppression
Correct Answer: C. Tachycardia
Rationale: Albuterol stimulates beta2 receptors in the lungs and beta1
receptors in the heart, causing tachycardia and palpitations.
Question 9:
A nurse is reviewing a client's prescriptions. The nurse should identify
that which of the following prescriptions is complete?
A. Digoxin 0.25 mg PO daily
B. Furosemide 50 mg as needed
C. Meperidine 75 mg IM for pain
D. Aspirin EC 81 mg
Actual Exam Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A |
Instant Download Pdf.
Question 1:
A provider prescribes phenobarbital for a client who has a seizure
disorder. The medication has a long half-life of 4 days. How many
times per day should the nurse expect to administer this medication?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
Correct Answer: A. One
Rationale: Medications with long half-lives remain at their therapeutic
levels between doses for long periods of time. The nurse should expect to
administer this medication once a day.
Question 2:
A staff educator is reviewing medication dosages and factors that
influence medication metabolism. Which factors should the educator
include as a reason to administer lower medication dosages? (Select
all that apply)
A. Increased renal secretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes
,Correct Answer: C. Liver failure and E. Concurrent use of medication
the same pathway metabolizes
Rationale: Liver failure decreases metabolism, increasing medication
concentration. When two medications share the same metabolic
pathway, they compete for metabolism, increasing concentrations of
one or both.
Question 3:
A nurse is preparing to administer eye drops to a client. Which actions
should the nurse take? (Select all that apply)
A. Have the client lie on her side.
B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
C. Tell the client to blink when the drops enter her eye.
D. Drop the medication into the center of the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close her eye gently after instillation.
Correct Answer: B, D, E
Rationale: Looking up prevents drops from falling onto the cornea.
Dropping into the center of the conjunctival sac promotes distribution.
Closing the eye gently helps distribute the medication.
Question 4:
A nurse is completing discharge teaching for a client who has a new
prescription for transdermal patches. Which statement indicates
understanding?
A. "I will clean the site with an alcohol swab before I apply the patch."
B. "I will rotate the application sites weekly."
C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no hair."
D. "I will place the new patch on the site of the old patch."
Correct Answer: C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no
hair."
,Rationale: Applying the patch to a hairless area promotes absorption of
the medication.
Question 5:
A nurse reviewing a client's medical record notes a new prescription
for verifying the trough level of the client's medication. Which action
should the nurse take?
A. Obtain a blood specimen immediately prior to administering the
next dose of medication.
B. Verify that the client has been taking the medication for 24 hr
before obtaining a blood specimen.
C. Ask the client to provide a urine specimen instead of blood.
D. Obtain a blood specimen 45 min after IV infusion of the medication.
Correct Answer: A. Obtain a blood specimen immediately prior to
administering the next dose of medication.
Rationale: Trough levels measure the lowest concentration of
medication in the body, drawn just before the next dose is due.
Question 6:
A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who has a new
prescription for Warfarin. Which statement by the client indicates an
understanding of the teaching?
A. "I will take ibuprofen for my headaches."
B. "I will eat more green leafy vegetables."
C. "I will report any bruising to my provider."
D. "I will take my medication in the morning."
Correct Answer: C. "I will report any bruising to my provider."
Rationale: Bruising indicates bleeding due to excessive anticoagulation,
which is a serious adverse effect requiring provider notification.
, Question 7:
A nurse is assessing a client who is receiving a transfusion of packed
red blood cells. Which finding indicates the client is having a febrile
reaction?
A. Hypothermia
B. Severe back pain
C. Chills and fever
D. HypoTN
Correct Answer: C. Chills and fever
Rationale: Febrile transfusion reactions are characterized by chills, fever,
and headache, often due to antibodies against donor white blood cells.
Question 8:
A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has a new prescription
for Albuterol via inhaler. The nurse should instruct the client to
monitor for which adverse effect?
A. Drowsiness
B. Constipation
C. Tachycardia
D. Cough suppression
Correct Answer: C. Tachycardia
Rationale: Albuterol stimulates beta2 receptors in the lungs and beta1
receptors in the heart, causing tachycardia and palpitations.
Question 9:
A nurse is reviewing a client's prescriptions. The nurse should identify
that which of the following prescriptions is complete?
A. Digoxin 0.25 mg PO daily
B. Furosemide 50 mg as needed
C. Meperidine 75 mg IM for pain
D. Aspirin EC 81 mg
