HESI PHARMACOLOGY Latest 155 Questions
and Answers (2026) | Verified Study Guide
• What are the 5 rights of medication administration? -✓✓Right Patient
Right Drug
Right Route
Right Time
Right Dose
• How do you safely prepare medication? -✓✓Have good lighting & work alone.
Check medication label 3 times (When you grab the medication, Before dispensing
medication, & When you replace medication.)
Don't use anything without a label.
Bottles with bad labels need to be returned to the pharmacy.
Never transfer medication into another bottle.
Check expiration date.
Inspect & throw away decomposing medications.
• How would you administer medication via IM? -✓✓Injecting at 90° using the Z-
Track method.
• How would you administer medication via IV? -✓✓Assess for allergies.
Assess the IV site for complications.
Clean the port closest to the IV site with alcohol swab.
Administer medication.
• How would you administer medication via SubQ? -✓✓Injecting 45° (Skinny
Patient) or 90° (Average Patient) into the fatty tissue.
• How would you administer medication via oral route? -✓✓Assist the patient into
an upright or side lying position.
Ask patient if they would like the medications in his/her hand or in the cup.
Offer water.
Remain with the patient until each medication is swallowed. Never leave the
patient's bedside.
,• How would you instill ear medications? -✓✓Warm the medication to prep it
before entering the patient's room.
Clean any ear drainage.
Place the patient on his/her unaffected side or have the patient sit up with head
titled to the unaffected side.
Straighten the ear canal by pulling up & back for adults or down & back for
children.
Administer the medication and allow the drops to fall on the side of the canal.
Avoid instilling in the middle of the canal or the tympanic membrane.
Instruct patient to remain in this position for 5 minutes.
Gently press on the tragus to facilitate the medication to travel towards the
tympanic membrane.
If ordered loosely place a cotton ball into the ear canal.
If you have to administer drops in both ear wait 5 minutes between each side.
• How would you instill eye medications? -✓✓Offer the patient a tissue.
Cleanse each eye from the inner area to the outer area.
If the patient does not have cervical spine injury instruct the patient to tilt his/her
head back.
Gently apply pressure with fingers at the edge of the lower eyelid to expose the
conjunctival sac.
Administer the medication & release the lower eyelid.
Instruct patient to close eyes gently.
Apply gentle pressure on the inner canthus to prevent the medication from flowing
into the tear ducts.
Instruct patient not to rub eyes.
• How would you apply a transdermal patch? -✓✓Wear gloves!
Remove the old patch & fold it close on itself.
Clean the old site to remove residue.
Document date, time, & initials on the new patch.
Rotate site.
Clean the new site.
Apply the patch.
• How would you apply an ointment medication? -✓✓Wear gloves!
Clean the area.
If the medication is not powder, never administer the ointment straight from the
container! Squeeze the ointment into a disposable cup.
, Spread over the area as prescribed.
Observe for allergic reaction.
• Name the 5 injection sites for subcutaneous. -✓✓Abdomen
Upper Arm
Back
Buttocks
Thighs
• Name the 5 injection sites for intramuscular. -✓✓Dorsogluteal
Ventrogluteal
Rectus Femoris
Vastus Lateralis
Deltoid
• Which IM injection site is used mainly on infants? -✓✓Rectus femoris.
• Which IM injection site do you use for children and adults? -✓✓Ventrogluteal
• Which IM injection site is used on infants, children, and patients with poorly
developed butt muscles? -✓✓Vastus lateralis.
• Name the 4 injection sites for intradermal. -✓✓Inner Forearm
Upper Chest
Back
Upper Back Arm
• Where should you place a transdermal patch? -✓✓Upper Arm & Back
Chest
Forearm
Butt
Stomach
• What is the peak time for rapid acting insulin? -✓✓30-60 minutes
• What is the peak time for regular insulin? -✓✓2-4 hours
• What is the peak time for intermediate acting insulin? -✓✓4-12 hours
and Answers (2026) | Verified Study Guide
• What are the 5 rights of medication administration? -✓✓Right Patient
Right Drug
Right Route
Right Time
Right Dose
• How do you safely prepare medication? -✓✓Have good lighting & work alone.
Check medication label 3 times (When you grab the medication, Before dispensing
medication, & When you replace medication.)
Don't use anything without a label.
Bottles with bad labels need to be returned to the pharmacy.
Never transfer medication into another bottle.
Check expiration date.
Inspect & throw away decomposing medications.
• How would you administer medication via IM? -✓✓Injecting at 90° using the Z-
Track method.
• How would you administer medication via IV? -✓✓Assess for allergies.
Assess the IV site for complications.
Clean the port closest to the IV site with alcohol swab.
Administer medication.
• How would you administer medication via SubQ? -✓✓Injecting 45° (Skinny
Patient) or 90° (Average Patient) into the fatty tissue.
• How would you administer medication via oral route? -✓✓Assist the patient into
an upright or side lying position.
Ask patient if they would like the medications in his/her hand or in the cup.
Offer water.
Remain with the patient until each medication is swallowed. Never leave the
patient's bedside.
,• How would you instill ear medications? -✓✓Warm the medication to prep it
before entering the patient's room.
Clean any ear drainage.
Place the patient on his/her unaffected side or have the patient sit up with head
titled to the unaffected side.
Straighten the ear canal by pulling up & back for adults or down & back for
children.
Administer the medication and allow the drops to fall on the side of the canal.
Avoid instilling in the middle of the canal or the tympanic membrane.
Instruct patient to remain in this position for 5 minutes.
Gently press on the tragus to facilitate the medication to travel towards the
tympanic membrane.
If ordered loosely place a cotton ball into the ear canal.
If you have to administer drops in both ear wait 5 minutes between each side.
• How would you instill eye medications? -✓✓Offer the patient a tissue.
Cleanse each eye from the inner area to the outer area.
If the patient does not have cervical spine injury instruct the patient to tilt his/her
head back.
Gently apply pressure with fingers at the edge of the lower eyelid to expose the
conjunctival sac.
Administer the medication & release the lower eyelid.
Instruct patient to close eyes gently.
Apply gentle pressure on the inner canthus to prevent the medication from flowing
into the tear ducts.
Instruct patient not to rub eyes.
• How would you apply a transdermal patch? -✓✓Wear gloves!
Remove the old patch & fold it close on itself.
Clean the old site to remove residue.
Document date, time, & initials on the new patch.
Rotate site.
Clean the new site.
Apply the patch.
• How would you apply an ointment medication? -✓✓Wear gloves!
Clean the area.
If the medication is not powder, never administer the ointment straight from the
container! Squeeze the ointment into a disposable cup.
, Spread over the area as prescribed.
Observe for allergic reaction.
• Name the 5 injection sites for subcutaneous. -✓✓Abdomen
Upper Arm
Back
Buttocks
Thighs
• Name the 5 injection sites for intramuscular. -✓✓Dorsogluteal
Ventrogluteal
Rectus Femoris
Vastus Lateralis
Deltoid
• Which IM injection site is used mainly on infants? -✓✓Rectus femoris.
• Which IM injection site do you use for children and adults? -✓✓Ventrogluteal
• Which IM injection site is used on infants, children, and patients with poorly
developed butt muscles? -✓✓Vastus lateralis.
• Name the 4 injection sites for intradermal. -✓✓Inner Forearm
Upper Chest
Back
Upper Back Arm
• Where should you place a transdermal patch? -✓✓Upper Arm & Back
Chest
Forearm
Butt
Stomach
• What is the peak time for rapid acting insulin? -✓✓30-60 minutes
• What is the peak time for regular insulin? -✓✓2-4 hours
• What is the peak time for intermediate acting insulin? -✓✓4-12 hours
