NR 293 Pharmacology - Exam 1 Study Guide 2026 |Chamberlain
College
1. Which phase of pharmacokinetics involves the movement of a drug from its
site of administration into the blood?
A. Metabolism
B. Distribution
C. Absorption
D. Excretion
Answer: C
Rationale: Absorption is the process by which a drug moves from the administration site
into the bloodstream.
2. A nurse is caring for a patient with liver cirrhosis. Which pharmacokinetic
process is most likely to be affected?
A. Absorption
B. Excretion
C. Metabolism
D. Distribution
Answer: C
Rationale: The liver is the primary site of drug metabolism. Impaired liver function can
slow metabolism and lead to toxicity.
,3. The time required for the concentration of a drug in the body to decrease by
50% is known as:
A. Therapeutic range
B. Onset of action
C. Half-life
D. Peak level
Answer: C
Rationale: The half-life (t1/2) is the time it takes for the amount of drug in the body to be
reduced by half.
4. A drug with a high ‘First-Pass Effect’ should ideally be administered by which
route to ensure maximum bioavailability?
A. Oral
B. Intravenous
C. Rectal
D. Nasogastric
Answer: B
Rationale: IV administration bypasses the liver’s first-pass metabolism, allowing the drug
to reach the systemic circulation directly.
5. Which of the following describes an ‘agonist’ drug?
A. A drug that blocks a receptor
B. A drug that mimics the receptor’s activity
C. A drug that prevents a chemical reaction
D. A drug that binds to proteins in the blood
Answer: B
Rationale: An agonist is a medication that binds to a receptor and activates it to produce a
biological response.
, 6. A nurse identifies that a drug has a narrow therapeutic index. This means:
A. The drug is very safe to administer
B. The margin between a safe dose and a toxic dose is small
C. The drug is metabolized very slowly
D. The drug does not require blood level monitoring
Answer: B
Rationale: Drugs with a narrow therapeutic index require close monitoring because the
toxic dose is very close to the effective dose.
7. Which laboratory value is the most important to monitor when assessing a
patient’s renal excretion of drugs?
A. ALT and AST
B. Serum Creatinine
C. Hemoglobin
D. White blood cell count
Answer: B
Rationale: Serum creatinine and BUN are markers of kidney function, which is the primary
organ for drug excretion.
8. When administering a medication, the nurse should check the medication
label against the MAR how many times?
A. One time
B. Two times
C. Three times
D. Four times
Answer: C
Rationale: The standard of safety is to check the medication against the MAR three times:
when pulling it, when preparing it, and at the bedside.
College
1. Which phase of pharmacokinetics involves the movement of a drug from its
site of administration into the blood?
A. Metabolism
B. Distribution
C. Absorption
D. Excretion
Answer: C
Rationale: Absorption is the process by which a drug moves from the administration site
into the bloodstream.
2. A nurse is caring for a patient with liver cirrhosis. Which pharmacokinetic
process is most likely to be affected?
A. Absorption
B. Excretion
C. Metabolism
D. Distribution
Answer: C
Rationale: The liver is the primary site of drug metabolism. Impaired liver function can
slow metabolism and lead to toxicity.
,3. The time required for the concentration of a drug in the body to decrease by
50% is known as:
A. Therapeutic range
B. Onset of action
C. Half-life
D. Peak level
Answer: C
Rationale: The half-life (t1/2) is the time it takes for the amount of drug in the body to be
reduced by half.
4. A drug with a high ‘First-Pass Effect’ should ideally be administered by which
route to ensure maximum bioavailability?
A. Oral
B. Intravenous
C. Rectal
D. Nasogastric
Answer: B
Rationale: IV administration bypasses the liver’s first-pass metabolism, allowing the drug
to reach the systemic circulation directly.
5. Which of the following describes an ‘agonist’ drug?
A. A drug that blocks a receptor
B. A drug that mimics the receptor’s activity
C. A drug that prevents a chemical reaction
D. A drug that binds to proteins in the blood
Answer: B
Rationale: An agonist is a medication that binds to a receptor and activates it to produce a
biological response.
, 6. A nurse identifies that a drug has a narrow therapeutic index. This means:
A. The drug is very safe to administer
B. The margin between a safe dose and a toxic dose is small
C. The drug is metabolized very slowly
D. The drug does not require blood level monitoring
Answer: B
Rationale: Drugs with a narrow therapeutic index require close monitoring because the
toxic dose is very close to the effective dose.
7. Which laboratory value is the most important to monitor when assessing a
patient’s renal excretion of drugs?
A. ALT and AST
B. Serum Creatinine
C. Hemoglobin
D. White blood cell count
Answer: B
Rationale: Serum creatinine and BUN are markers of kidney function, which is the primary
organ for drug excretion.
8. When administering a medication, the nurse should check the medication
label against the MAR how many times?
A. One time
B. Two times
C. Three times
D. Four times
Answer: C
Rationale: The standard of safety is to check the medication against the MAR three times:
when pulling it, when preparing it, and at the bedside.
