Pharmacology Hesi Practice Latest
Questions and Answers (2026) |
Verified Study Guide
• A male client who is in the terminal stage of cancer is cared for at home by his
family and receives a prescription for morphine at a rate to control intractable pain.
When the hospice nurse visits, the client awakens, moans in severe pain, and asks
for an increase in the morphine dosage. After determining the client's respirations
are 10 per minute, what is the best action for the nurse to implement?
Titrate the morphine dose upward until the client has adequate pain relief.
Suggest to the family that they can also give the client ibuprofen, a non-narcotic
analgesic.
Hold additional morphine until the client's respirations are at least 16 per minute.
Inform the client that an increased dose of morphine increases side effects without
additional pain control. -✓✓Titrate the morphine dose upward until the client has
adequate pain relief.
• A client with Paget's disease is started on calcitonin (Calcimar) 500 mcg
subcutaneously daily. During the initial treatment, what is the priority nursing
action?
Assess the injection site for inflammation.
Evaluate the client's level of pain.
Monitor the client's alkaline phosphatase levels.
Observe the client for signs of hypersensitivity. -✓✓Observe the client for signs of
hypersensitivity.
• A client is taking cyclosporine for renal allograft rejection prevention. After 9
months of drug therapy, the nurse reviews laboratory data and notes that the blood
urea nitrogen level is 36 mg/dl. What additional finding should the nurse identify?
Hypotension.
White blood cell count 10,000.
Creatinine 28 mg/dl.
Anaphylactic reaction. -✓✓Creatinine 28 mg/dl.
,• 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?
Return the blood to the blood bank for refrigeration within 30 minutes.
Hang the blood transfusion as soon as the client returns to the unit.
Store the blood bag in the nursing unit's refrigerator until the client returns.
Take the unit of blood to the X-ray department to initiate the transfusion. -
✓✓Return the blood to the blood bank for refrigeration within 30 minutes.
• Which side effects should the nurse monitor for a client who is receiving
dexamethasone (Decadron) following neurosurgery? (Select all that apply.)
Select all that apply
Mood swings.
Decreased appetite.
Increased weight gain.
Serum glucose level of 65 mg/dl.
Delayed incisional wound healing.
Serum hemoglobin level of 9 mg/dl. -✓✓Mood swings.
Increased weight gain.
Delayed incisional wound healing.
Serum hemoglobin level of 9 mg/dl.
• A client is taking danazol (Danocrine) for endometriosis and calls the clinic nurse
to complain of a dark, swollen, and painful leg. What instructions should the nurse
provide the client?
Wear support stockings.
Elevate both legs and apply heat.
Proceed to the closest emergency room.
Walk for 20 to 30 minutes to reduce muscle cramps. -✓✓Proceed to the closest
emergency room.
• A client asks the nurse to explain the meaning of a narrow therapeutic index of a
medication. What information should the nurse use to answer the question?
The onset of action for the medication occurs very quickly.
A small margin exists between safe and toxic plasma levels.
, Bioavailability is significantly reduced by the first-pass effect.
Minimum dosage is needed for the medication to be effective. -✓✓A small margin
exists between safe and toxic plasma levels.
• A c lient is receiving fentanyl via an epidural infusion. Which side effect should
the nurse anticipate in the first 24 hours of epidural analgesia ?
Headache.
Agitation.
Urinary retention.
Abdominal cramping and diarrhea. -✓✓Urinary retention.
• 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?
Zolpidem (Ambien) 10 milligrams orally at bedtime.
Eszopiclone (Lunesta) 10 milligrams orally at bedtime.
Temazepam (Restoril) 7.5 milligrams orally at bedtime.
Ramelteon (Rozerem) 8 milligrams orally at bedtime. -✓✓Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
10 milligrams orally at bedtime.
• Which route should the nurse clarify with the healthcare provider prior to
administering a drug with a high first-pass effect?
Oral.
Buccal.
Sublingual.
Intravenous. -✓✓Oral.
• The therapeutic effect of insulin in treating Type 1 diabetes mellitus is based on
which physiologic action?
Facilitates transport of glucose into the cells.
Stimulates function of beta cells in the pancreas.
Increases intracellular receptor site sensitivity.
Delays carbohydrate digestion and absorption. -✓✓Facilitates transport of glucose
into the cells.
Questions and Answers (2026) |
Verified Study Guide
• A male client who is in the terminal stage of cancer is cared for at home by his
family and receives a prescription for morphine at a rate to control intractable pain.
When the hospice nurse visits, the client awakens, moans in severe pain, and asks
for an increase in the morphine dosage. After determining the client's respirations
are 10 per minute, what is the best action for the nurse to implement?
Titrate the morphine dose upward until the client has adequate pain relief.
Suggest to the family that they can also give the client ibuprofen, a non-narcotic
analgesic.
Hold additional morphine until the client's respirations are at least 16 per minute.
Inform the client that an increased dose of morphine increases side effects without
additional pain control. -✓✓Titrate the morphine dose upward until the client has
adequate pain relief.
• A client with Paget's disease is started on calcitonin (Calcimar) 500 mcg
subcutaneously daily. During the initial treatment, what is the priority nursing
action?
Assess the injection site for inflammation.
Evaluate the client's level of pain.
Monitor the client's alkaline phosphatase levels.
Observe the client for signs of hypersensitivity. -✓✓Observe the client for signs of
hypersensitivity.
• A client is taking cyclosporine for renal allograft rejection prevention. After 9
months of drug therapy, the nurse reviews laboratory data and notes that the blood
urea nitrogen level is 36 mg/dl. What additional finding should the nurse identify?
Hypotension.
White blood cell count 10,000.
Creatinine 28 mg/dl.
Anaphylactic reaction. -✓✓Creatinine 28 mg/dl.
,• 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?
Return the blood to the blood bank for refrigeration within 30 minutes.
Hang the blood transfusion as soon as the client returns to the unit.
Store the blood bag in the nursing unit's refrigerator until the client returns.
Take the unit of blood to the X-ray department to initiate the transfusion. -
✓✓Return the blood to the blood bank for refrigeration within 30 minutes.
• Which side effects should the nurse monitor for a client who is receiving
dexamethasone (Decadron) following neurosurgery? (Select all that apply.)
Select all that apply
Mood swings.
Decreased appetite.
Increased weight gain.
Serum glucose level of 65 mg/dl.
Delayed incisional wound healing.
Serum hemoglobin level of 9 mg/dl. -✓✓Mood swings.
Increased weight gain.
Delayed incisional wound healing.
Serum hemoglobin level of 9 mg/dl.
• A client is taking danazol (Danocrine) for endometriosis and calls the clinic nurse
to complain of a dark, swollen, and painful leg. What instructions should the nurse
provide the client?
Wear support stockings.
Elevate both legs and apply heat.
Proceed to the closest emergency room.
Walk for 20 to 30 minutes to reduce muscle cramps. -✓✓Proceed to the closest
emergency room.
• A client asks the nurse to explain the meaning of a narrow therapeutic index of a
medication. What information should the nurse use to answer the question?
The onset of action for the medication occurs very quickly.
A small margin exists between safe and toxic plasma levels.
, Bioavailability is significantly reduced by the first-pass effect.
Minimum dosage is needed for the medication to be effective. -✓✓A small margin
exists between safe and toxic plasma levels.
• A c lient is receiving fentanyl via an epidural infusion. Which side effect should
the nurse anticipate in the first 24 hours of epidural analgesia ?
Headache.
Agitation.
Urinary retention.
Abdominal cramping and diarrhea. -✓✓Urinary retention.
• 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?
Zolpidem (Ambien) 10 milligrams orally at bedtime.
Eszopiclone (Lunesta) 10 milligrams orally at bedtime.
Temazepam (Restoril) 7.5 milligrams orally at bedtime.
Ramelteon (Rozerem) 8 milligrams orally at bedtime. -✓✓Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
10 milligrams orally at bedtime.
• Which route should the nurse clarify with the healthcare provider prior to
administering a drug with a high first-pass effect?
Oral.
Buccal.
Sublingual.
Intravenous. -✓✓Oral.
• The therapeutic effect of insulin in treating Type 1 diabetes mellitus is based on
which physiologic action?
Facilitates transport of glucose into the cells.
Stimulates function of beta cells in the pancreas.
Increases intracellular receptor site sensitivity.
Delays carbohydrate digestion and absorption. -✓✓Facilitates transport of glucose
into the cells.
