2026 HESI Pharmacology V1 Questions
And Answers
A nurse is caring for a client with hyperparathyroidism and notes that the client's
serum calcium level is 13 mg/dL.Which medication should the nurse prepare to
administer asprescribed to the client?1. Calcium chloride
2. Calcium gluconate
3. Calcitonin (Miacalcin)
4. Largedoses of vitamin D - (Correct Answer) `3.Calcitonin (Miacalcin)
Rationale:
The normal serumcalcium level is 8.6 to 10.0 mg/dL. This client isexperiencing
hypercalcemia. Calcium gluconate and calcium chloride aremedications used for the
treatment of tetany, which occurs as a result of acutehypocalcemia. Inhypercalcemia,
largedoses of vitamin D need to be avoided. Calcitonin, a thyroid hormone, decreases
the plasma calcium level by inhibiting boneresorption and lowering the serum
calcium concentration.
Oral iron supplements areprescribed for a 6-year-old child with iron deficiency
anemia. The nurse instructs the mother to administer the iron withwhich best food
item?
1. Milk
2. Water
3. Applejuice
4. Orangejuice - (Correct Answer) `4. Orange juice
Rationale:
,Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron by the body. The mothershould be
instructed toadminister themedication with a citrus fruit ora juice that is high in
vitamin C. Milk may affect absorptionof the iron. Water will not assist inabsorption.
Orange juicecontains a greateramount of vitamin C than apple juice.
Salicylic acid isprescribed for a client with a diagnosis of psoriasis. The nursemonitors
theclient, knowing that which of the following would indicate thepresence of systemic
toxicity from this medication?
1. Tinnitus
2. Diarrhea
3. Constipation
4. Decreased Respirations - (Correct Answer)`1. Tinnitus
Rationale:
Salicylic acid isabsorbed readily through the skin, and systemic toxicity (salicylism)
can result.Symptoms includetinnitus, dizziness, hyperpnea,and psychological
disturbances. Constipation and diarrhea are not associated with salicylism.
The camp nurse asks the children preparing to swim in the lake if they haveapplied
sunscreen. The nursecremindscthecchildrencthatcchemicalcsunscreenscarecmost
effectivewhenapplied:
1.cImmediatelybeforeswimming
2.c15cminutescbeforecexposurectocthecsun
3.cImmediatelycbeforecexposurectocthecsun
4.cAtcleastc30cminutescbeforecexposurectocthecsunc-
c(Correct
minutes cAnswer)c`4.cAtccleast
cbeforeexposure tocthec30
csun
Rationale:
Sunscreenscarecmostceffectivecwhenappliedcatcleastc30cminutesbeforecexposurectocthe
suncsocthatctheyccancpenetratecthecskin.cAllsunscreenscshouldcbereapplied cafter
swimmingcorcsweating
,c
Mafenidecacetatec(Sulfamylon)ciscprescribedcforcthecclientcwithcacburncinjury.cWhen
applyingcthemedication,cthecclientccomplainscofclocalcdiscomfortcandcburning.cWhich
ofcthefollowing ciscthecmostcappropriatecnursingcaction?
1.cNotifyingcthecregisteredcnurse
2.cDiscontinuingcthecmedication
3.cInformingcthecclientcthatcthisciscnormal
4.cApplyingcacthinnercfilmcthancprescribedctocthecburncsitec-
c(CorrectccAnswer)
Informing thecclientc`3.
cthatcthisciscnormal
Rationale:
Mafenidecacetateciscbacteriostaticcforgram-negativeand cgram-positivecorganismscand
iscusedctoctreatcburnsctocreducebacteriacpresentcincavascularctissues.cThecclientcshould
becinformedcthatcthemedication cwillccauseclocalcdiscomfortcandcburningcandcthatcthisci
s
acnormalcreaction;thereforecoptionsc1,c2,candc4carecincorrect
Thecburnclientcisreceivingctreatmentscoftopical cmafenidecacetatec(Sulfamylon)ctocthe
sitecofcinjury.cThecnursecmonitorscthecclient,cknowingcthatcwhichcofcthecfollowing
indicatescthatcacsystemicceffectchascoccurred?1.Hyperventilation
2.Elevatedcbloodcpressure
3.Localcpaincatcthecburncsite
4.Localcrashcatcthecburncsitec-c(CorrectcAnswer)c`1.Hyperventilation
Rationale:
Mafenidecacetatecisa ccarboniccanhydrasecinhibitorcandccancsuppresscrenalcexcretioncof
acid,therebycausingacidosis. cClientscreceivingcthisctreatmentcshouldcbecmonitored
forcsignscofcanacid-basecimbalancec(hyperventilation).cIfcthiscoccurs,cthecmedication
shouldcbediscontinuedcforc1ctoc2cdays.cOptionsc3candc4cdescribeclocalcrathercthan
syeffects.cAncelevatedcbloodcpressurecmaycbecexpectedcfromcthecpaincthatcoccurscwithc
a
burncinjury.
Isotretinoinciscprescribedcforcacclientcwithcseverecacne.cBeforetheadministration cof
thiscmedication,thenurse canticipatescthatcwhichclaboratorytestcwillcbeprescribed?
,c
1.cPlateletccount
2.cTriglycerideclevel
3.cCompleteblood ccount
4.cWhitecbloodccellccountc-c(CorrectcAnswer)`2.cTriglycerideclevel
Rationale:
Isotretinoinccancelevatectriglycerideclevels.Bloodctriglycerideclevelsshouldcbe
measuredcbeforetreatmentcandcperiodicallythereaftercuntilctheceffectconcthe
triglycerideschascbeencevaluated.cOptionsc1,c3,candc4do cnotcneedctocbecmonitore
d
specificallycduringcthisctreatment.
Acclientcwithcseverecacneciscseencinctheccliniccandcthechealthccareproviderc(HCP)
prescribescisotretinoin.cThecnursecreviewscthecclient'smedicationrecord candcwould
contactcthec(HCP)cifcthecclientcisctakingcwhichmedication?
1.cVitamincA
2.cDigoxinc(Lanoxin)
3.cFurosemidec(Lasix)
4.cPhenytoinc(Dilantin)c-c(CorrectcAnswer)c`1.cVitamincA
Rationale:
IsotretinoinciscacmetabolitecofcvitamincAcandccancproducecgeneralizedcintensificationco
f
isotretinoinctoxicity.cBecausecofcthecpotentialcforcincreasedctoxicity,vitamincA
supplementscshouldcbecdiscontinuedcbeforeisotretinoinctherapy.Optionsc2,c3,candc4
arecnotccontraindicatedcwithcthecusecofcisotretinoin
Thecnurseciscapplyingcactopicalccorticosteroidctocacclientcwithceczema.cThecnursewoul
d
monitorcforcthecpotentialcforincreased csystemiccabsorptioncofcthemedicationcifcthe
medicationcwerecbeingcappliedctocwhichcofcthecfollowingcbodyareas?
1.cBack
2.cAxilla
3.cSolescofcthecfeet
And Answers
A nurse is caring for a client with hyperparathyroidism and notes that the client's
serum calcium level is 13 mg/dL.Which medication should the nurse prepare to
administer asprescribed to the client?1. Calcium chloride
2. Calcium gluconate
3. Calcitonin (Miacalcin)
4. Largedoses of vitamin D - (Correct Answer) `3.Calcitonin (Miacalcin)
Rationale:
The normal serumcalcium level is 8.6 to 10.0 mg/dL. This client isexperiencing
hypercalcemia. Calcium gluconate and calcium chloride aremedications used for the
treatment of tetany, which occurs as a result of acutehypocalcemia. Inhypercalcemia,
largedoses of vitamin D need to be avoided. Calcitonin, a thyroid hormone, decreases
the plasma calcium level by inhibiting boneresorption and lowering the serum
calcium concentration.
Oral iron supplements areprescribed for a 6-year-old child with iron deficiency
anemia. The nurse instructs the mother to administer the iron withwhich best food
item?
1. Milk
2. Water
3. Applejuice
4. Orangejuice - (Correct Answer) `4. Orange juice
Rationale:
,Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron by the body. The mothershould be
instructed toadminister themedication with a citrus fruit ora juice that is high in
vitamin C. Milk may affect absorptionof the iron. Water will not assist inabsorption.
Orange juicecontains a greateramount of vitamin C than apple juice.
Salicylic acid isprescribed for a client with a diagnosis of psoriasis. The nursemonitors
theclient, knowing that which of the following would indicate thepresence of systemic
toxicity from this medication?
1. Tinnitus
2. Diarrhea
3. Constipation
4. Decreased Respirations - (Correct Answer)`1. Tinnitus
Rationale:
Salicylic acid isabsorbed readily through the skin, and systemic toxicity (salicylism)
can result.Symptoms includetinnitus, dizziness, hyperpnea,and psychological
disturbances. Constipation and diarrhea are not associated with salicylism.
The camp nurse asks the children preparing to swim in the lake if they haveapplied
sunscreen. The nursecremindscthecchildrencthatcchemicalcsunscreenscarecmost
effectivewhenapplied:
1.cImmediatelybeforeswimming
2.c15cminutescbeforecexposurectocthecsun
3.cImmediatelycbeforecexposurectocthecsun
4.cAtcleastc30cminutescbeforecexposurectocthecsunc-
c(Correct
minutes cAnswer)c`4.cAtccleast
cbeforeexposure tocthec30
csun
Rationale:
Sunscreenscarecmostceffectivecwhenappliedcatcleastc30cminutesbeforecexposurectocthe
suncsocthatctheyccancpenetratecthecskin.cAllsunscreenscshouldcbereapplied cafter
swimmingcorcsweating
,c
Mafenidecacetatec(Sulfamylon)ciscprescribedcforcthecclientcwithcacburncinjury.cWhen
applyingcthemedication,cthecclientccomplainscofclocalcdiscomfortcandcburning.cWhich
ofcthefollowing ciscthecmostcappropriatecnursingcaction?
1.cNotifyingcthecregisteredcnurse
2.cDiscontinuingcthecmedication
3.cInformingcthecclientcthatcthisciscnormal
4.cApplyingcacthinnercfilmcthancprescribedctocthecburncsitec-
c(CorrectccAnswer)
Informing thecclientc`3.
cthatcthisciscnormal
Rationale:
Mafenidecacetateciscbacteriostaticcforgram-negativeand cgram-positivecorganismscand
iscusedctoctreatcburnsctocreducebacteriacpresentcincavascularctissues.cThecclientcshould
becinformedcthatcthemedication cwillccauseclocalcdiscomfortcandcburningcandcthatcthisci
s
acnormalcreaction;thereforecoptionsc1,c2,candc4carecincorrect
Thecburnclientcisreceivingctreatmentscoftopical cmafenidecacetatec(Sulfamylon)ctocthe
sitecofcinjury.cThecnursecmonitorscthecclient,cknowingcthatcwhichcofcthecfollowing
indicatescthatcacsystemicceffectchascoccurred?1.Hyperventilation
2.Elevatedcbloodcpressure
3.Localcpaincatcthecburncsite
4.Localcrashcatcthecburncsitec-c(CorrectcAnswer)c`1.Hyperventilation
Rationale:
Mafenidecacetatecisa ccarboniccanhydrasecinhibitorcandccancsuppresscrenalcexcretioncof
acid,therebycausingacidosis. cClientscreceivingcthisctreatmentcshouldcbecmonitored
forcsignscofcanacid-basecimbalancec(hyperventilation).cIfcthiscoccurs,cthecmedication
shouldcbediscontinuedcforc1ctoc2cdays.cOptionsc3candc4cdescribeclocalcrathercthan
syeffects.cAncelevatedcbloodcpressurecmaycbecexpectedcfromcthecpaincthatcoccurscwithc
a
burncinjury.
Isotretinoinciscprescribedcforcacclientcwithcseverecacne.cBeforetheadministration cof
thiscmedication,thenurse canticipatescthatcwhichclaboratorytestcwillcbeprescribed?
,c
1.cPlateletccount
2.cTriglycerideclevel
3.cCompleteblood ccount
4.cWhitecbloodccellccountc-c(CorrectcAnswer)`2.cTriglycerideclevel
Rationale:
Isotretinoinccancelevatectriglycerideclevels.Bloodctriglycerideclevelsshouldcbe
measuredcbeforetreatmentcandcperiodicallythereaftercuntilctheceffectconcthe
triglycerideschascbeencevaluated.cOptionsc1,c3,candc4do cnotcneedctocbecmonitore
d
specificallycduringcthisctreatment.
Acclientcwithcseverecacneciscseencinctheccliniccandcthechealthccareproviderc(HCP)
prescribescisotretinoin.cThecnursecreviewscthecclient'smedicationrecord candcwould
contactcthec(HCP)cifcthecclientcisctakingcwhichmedication?
1.cVitamincA
2.cDigoxinc(Lanoxin)
3.cFurosemidec(Lasix)
4.cPhenytoinc(Dilantin)c-c(CorrectcAnswer)c`1.cVitamincA
Rationale:
IsotretinoinciscacmetabolitecofcvitamincAcandccancproducecgeneralizedcintensificationco
f
isotretinoinctoxicity.cBecausecofcthecpotentialcforcincreasedctoxicity,vitamincA
supplementscshouldcbecdiscontinuedcbeforeisotretinoinctherapy.Optionsc2,c3,candc4
arecnotccontraindicatedcwithcthecusecofcisotretinoin
Thecnurseciscapplyingcactopicalccorticosteroidctocacclientcwithceczema.cThecnursewoul
d
monitorcforcthecpotentialcforincreased csystemiccabsorptioncofcthemedicationcifcthe
medicationcwerecbeingcappliedctocwhichcofcthecfollowingcbodyareas?
1.cBack
2.cAxilla
3.cSolescofcthecfeet
