HESI PHARMACOLOGY V1 LEARNING
WORKBOOK 2026 DRUG CLASSIFICATIONS
AND PHARMACOKINETICS
◉ The nurse administers the initial dose of a fentanyl (Duragesic)
transdermal patch to a client with chronic pain. When monitoring
the client an hour later, which assessment is most important for the
nurse to obtain?
Answer: Numeric pain scale.
Transdermal fentanyl, an opioid analgesic, has an onset and peak of
6 to 12 hours after the initial dose, so it is most important to
determine the client's level of pain, which can persist as
breakthrough pain throughout the 72-hour duration of the patch.
◉ The nurse receives a unit of blood from the blood bank for a
postoperative client who is currently in the X-ray department. What
action should the nurse implement?
Answer: Return the blood to the blood bank for refrigeration within
30 minutes.
A blood transfusion should be hung for administration within 30
minutes of its arrival from the blood bank. If it is not going to be
used within that time frame, it must be returned to the blood bank
,for refrigeration. Waiting until the client returns to the unit is
unpredictable, and the delay to hang the blood within the 30
minutes can contribute to contamination and infection
◉ The mother of a newborn asks the nurse why her infant needs the
vitamin K (AquaMEPHYTON) injection. What information should the
nurse provide?
Answer: Bacteria that synthesize vitamin K are not present in the
newborn's intestinal tract.
Vitamin K is provided due to the fact the newborn does not have the
intestinal flora to synthesize adequate vitamin K in the intestines at
birth and vitamin K levels in breast milk are considered inadequate
for the first 2-3 days of life. Vitamin K promotes the formation of
clotting factors in the liver, and is routinely given by injection to
prevention or treat hemorrhagic disease in the newborn.
◉ A client receives a prescription for esomeprazole (Nexium) for
heartburn. Which finding in the client's history should the nurse
report to the healthcare provider before administering the
prescription?
Answer: History of deep vein thrombosis.
,Esomeprazole (Nexium), a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), may
increase the chance of bleeding in a client who is taking both a PPI
and warfarin (Coumadin), which is used in the treatment of deep
vein thrombosis (DVT). The healthcare provider should be informed
of the client's recent history and treatment for DVT prior to giving
Nexium.
◉ The healthcare provider prescribes a medication for an older
adult client who is complaining of insomnia, and instructs the client
to return in two weeks. The nurse should question which
prescription?
Answer: Eszopiclone (Lunesta) 10 milligrams orally at bedtime.
The prescription for eszopiclone (Lunesta) 10mg at bedtime is too
high for this client. The dosing of this medication is usually a client is
started off at 1mg at bedtime and may advance up to 3mg maximum
if needed.
◉ Based on the blood culture and sensitivity results, the healthcare
provider prescribes an IV aminoglycoside antibiotic and
discontinues the current prescription for another broad spectrum
antibiotic. The medication administration record indicates that the
client received the broad spectrum antibiotic two hours ago. Which
action should the nurse implement?
, Answer: Administer the initial dose of the aminoglycoside antibiotic
as soon as possible.
Based on the blood culture and sensitivity results, the prescribed
aminoglycoside antibiotic is the most effective in treating the client's
infection, so it should be administered as soon as possible.
◉ A client with chronic pancreatitis receives a new prescription for
pancrelipase (Pancrease). Which instruction is most important for
the nurse to include in this client's teaching?
Answer: Take the medication when consuming food.
With the loss of exocrine function for a client with chronic
pancreatitis, replacement of pancreatic enzymes using pancrelipase
(Pancrease) becomes necessary. Diarrhea and steatorrhea (fatty
stools) indicate insufficient pancreatic enzymes are present to digest
dietary fats and other of nutrients, so pancrelipase, a fat-digesting
enzyme, should be consumed with any type of food.
◉ A client is admitted for atrial fibrillation, and the healthcare
provider prescribes disopyramide (Norpace). After explaining the
action of this antidysrhythmic agent, which complaint should the
nurse instruct the client to report?
Answer: Daily weight gain of 2 pounds.
WORKBOOK 2026 DRUG CLASSIFICATIONS
AND PHARMACOKINETICS
◉ The nurse administers the initial dose of a fentanyl (Duragesic)
transdermal patch to a client with chronic pain. When monitoring
the client an hour later, which assessment is most important for the
nurse to obtain?
Answer: Numeric pain scale.
Transdermal fentanyl, an opioid analgesic, has an onset and peak of
6 to 12 hours after the initial dose, so it is most important to
determine the client's level of pain, which can persist as
breakthrough pain throughout the 72-hour duration of the patch.
◉ The nurse receives a unit of blood from the blood bank for a
postoperative client who is currently in the X-ray department. What
action should the nurse implement?
Answer: Return the blood to the blood bank for refrigeration within
30 minutes.
A blood transfusion should be hung for administration within 30
minutes of its arrival from the blood bank. If it is not going to be
used within that time frame, it must be returned to the blood bank
,for refrigeration. Waiting until the client returns to the unit is
unpredictable, and the delay to hang the blood within the 30
minutes can contribute to contamination and infection
◉ The mother of a newborn asks the nurse why her infant needs the
vitamin K (AquaMEPHYTON) injection. What information should the
nurse provide?
Answer: Bacteria that synthesize vitamin K are not present in the
newborn's intestinal tract.
Vitamin K is provided due to the fact the newborn does not have the
intestinal flora to synthesize adequate vitamin K in the intestines at
birth and vitamin K levels in breast milk are considered inadequate
for the first 2-3 days of life. Vitamin K promotes the formation of
clotting factors in the liver, and is routinely given by injection to
prevention or treat hemorrhagic disease in the newborn.
◉ A client receives a prescription for esomeprazole (Nexium) for
heartburn. Which finding in the client's history should the nurse
report to the healthcare provider before administering the
prescription?
Answer: History of deep vein thrombosis.
,Esomeprazole (Nexium), a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), may
increase the chance of bleeding in a client who is taking both a PPI
and warfarin (Coumadin), which is used in the treatment of deep
vein thrombosis (DVT). The healthcare provider should be informed
of the client's recent history and treatment for DVT prior to giving
Nexium.
◉ The healthcare provider prescribes a medication for an older
adult client who is complaining of insomnia, and instructs the client
to return in two weeks. The nurse should question which
prescription?
Answer: Eszopiclone (Lunesta) 10 milligrams orally at bedtime.
The prescription for eszopiclone (Lunesta) 10mg at bedtime is too
high for this client. The dosing of this medication is usually a client is
started off at 1mg at bedtime and may advance up to 3mg maximum
if needed.
◉ Based on the blood culture and sensitivity results, the healthcare
provider prescribes an IV aminoglycoside antibiotic and
discontinues the current prescription for another broad spectrum
antibiotic. The medication administration record indicates that the
client received the broad spectrum antibiotic two hours ago. Which
action should the nurse implement?
, Answer: Administer the initial dose of the aminoglycoside antibiotic
as soon as possible.
Based on the blood culture and sensitivity results, the prescribed
aminoglycoside antibiotic is the most effective in treating the client's
infection, so it should be administered as soon as possible.
◉ A client with chronic pancreatitis receives a new prescription for
pancrelipase (Pancrease). Which instruction is most important for
the nurse to include in this client's teaching?
Answer: Take the medication when consuming food.
With the loss of exocrine function for a client with chronic
pancreatitis, replacement of pancreatic enzymes using pancrelipase
(Pancrease) becomes necessary. Diarrhea and steatorrhea (fatty
stools) indicate insufficient pancreatic enzymes are present to digest
dietary fats and other of nutrients, so pancrelipase, a fat-digesting
enzyme, should be consumed with any type of food.
◉ A client is admitted for atrial fibrillation, and the healthcare
provider prescribes disopyramide (Norpace). After explaining the
action of this antidysrhythmic agent, which complaint should the
nurse instruct the client to report?
Answer: Daily weight gain of 2 pounds.
