NR 293: PHARMACOLOGY FOR NURSING PRACTICE | CHAMBERLAIN
UNIVERSITY | VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST
VERSION 2026/2027 (PASS GUARANTEE) TOP RATED
CHAMBERLAIN UNIVERSITY NR 293 – PHARMACOLOGY FOR NURSING
1. A nurse is reviewing the concept of pharmacokinetics. Which of the following
best describes the term 'bioavailability'?
A. The speed at which a drug reaches peak plasma concentration
B. The fraction of an administered drug dose that reaches systemic circulation
unchanged
C. The process by which the body breaks down a drug into metabolites
D. The volume of plasma cleared of a drug per unit time
ANSWER : B
2. Which of the following routes of administration provides 100% bioavailability?
A. Oral
B. Sublingual
C. Intravenous
D. Intramuscular
ANSWER : C
3. A patient is prescribed a drug with a narrow therapeutic index. What does this
mean for nursing care?
A. The drug can be given in large doses safely
B. There is little difference between a therapeutic and toxic dose
C. The drug has minimal side effects
D. The drug can be freely substituted with generics
ANSWER : B
,4. Which process describes the movement of a drug from the bloodstream into
body tissues?
A. Absorption
B. Distribution
C. Metabolism
D. Excretion
ANSWER : B
5. A drug that undergoes extensive first-pass metabolism will have:
A. Higher bioavailability when taken orally
B. Reduced bioavailability when taken orally
C. Increased half-life
D. Greater distribution volume
ANSWER : B
6. The half-life of a drug refers to:
A. The time for a drug to be completely excreted from the body
B. The time for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by 50%
C. The duration of drug action at the receptor site
D. The time from administration to peak effect
ANSWER : B
7. A patient with renal failure is prescribed a drug that is primarily renally
excreted. What adjustment should the nurse anticipate?
A. Increased dosage to compensate for poor absorption
B. No adjustment necessary
C. Reduced dosage or extended dosing interval
D. Switching to an intravenous route only
ANSWER : C
8. Which plasma protein most commonly binds to acidic drugs in the bloodstream?
A. Globulin
B. Fibrinogen
C. Albumin
D. Transferrin
ANSWER : C
,9. When two drugs compete for the same protein-binding site, what is the likely
result?
A. Decreased effect of both drugs
B. Increased free concentration of the displaced drug, potentially causing
toxicity
C. Enhanced renal clearance of both drugs
D. Reduced absorption of both drugs
ANSWER : B
10. A drug described as having a large volume of distribution (Vd) suggests that:
A. Most of the drug remains in the bloodstream
B. The drug is primarily excreted through the kidneys unchanged
C. The drug is extensively distributed into body tissues
D. The drug has poor lipid solubility
ANSWER : C
11. Cytochrome P450 enzymes are primarily involved in which phase of drug
pharmacokinetics?
A. Absorption
B. Distribution
C. Metabolism
D. Excretion
ANSWER : C
12. A drug is described as an 'agonist.' This means it:
A. Blocks receptor activity
B. Binds to a receptor and produces a response
C. Reduces drug metabolism in the liver
D. Competes with neurotransmitters for excretion
ANSWER : B
13. A competitive antagonist works by:
A. Permanently inactivating receptor sites
B. Occupying receptor sites and preventing agonist binding, but can be
overcome by increasing agonist concentration
C. Breaking down the agonist drug before it reaches the receptor
D. Stimulating an entirely different receptor to counteract the agonist
, ANSWER : B
14. The 'therapeutic window' is defined as:
A. The time frame during which a drug should be administered
B. The range of drug concentration between minimum effective concentration
and minimum toxic concentration
C. The amount of drug needed to produce 50% of the maximum effect
D. The optimal plasma protein binding range for a drug
ANSWER : B
15. An ED50 refers to:
A. The dose lethal to 50% of a test population
B. The dose effective in 50% of the population
C. The dose that produces 50% protein binding
D. The elimination of 50% of drug within 24 hours
ANSWER : B
16. Which of the following best describes drug tolerance?
A. An unexpected adverse reaction to a drug
B. A diminished response to a drug after repeated administration, requiring
larger doses to achieve the same effect
C. An allergic response to a drug upon first exposure
D. The increased absorption of a drug due to food intake
ANSWER : B
17. A patient experiences a type I hypersensitivity reaction to penicillin. The nurse
understands this is mediated by:
A. T-lymphocytes
B. IgE antibodies
C. IgG antibodies
D. Complement proteins
ANSWER : B
18. When is steady-state plasma concentration typically reached?
A. After one dose of any drug
B. After approximately 4–5 half-lives of a drug
C. Immediately after the first intravenous dose
D. After 24 hours regardless of drug half-life
UNIVERSITY | VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST
VERSION 2026/2027 (PASS GUARANTEE) TOP RATED
CHAMBERLAIN UNIVERSITY NR 293 – PHARMACOLOGY FOR NURSING
1. A nurse is reviewing the concept of pharmacokinetics. Which of the following
best describes the term 'bioavailability'?
A. The speed at which a drug reaches peak plasma concentration
B. The fraction of an administered drug dose that reaches systemic circulation
unchanged
C. The process by which the body breaks down a drug into metabolites
D. The volume of plasma cleared of a drug per unit time
ANSWER : B
2. Which of the following routes of administration provides 100% bioavailability?
A. Oral
B. Sublingual
C. Intravenous
D. Intramuscular
ANSWER : C
3. A patient is prescribed a drug with a narrow therapeutic index. What does this
mean for nursing care?
A. The drug can be given in large doses safely
B. There is little difference between a therapeutic and toxic dose
C. The drug has minimal side effects
D. The drug can be freely substituted with generics
ANSWER : B
,4. Which process describes the movement of a drug from the bloodstream into
body tissues?
A. Absorption
B. Distribution
C. Metabolism
D. Excretion
ANSWER : B
5. A drug that undergoes extensive first-pass metabolism will have:
A. Higher bioavailability when taken orally
B. Reduced bioavailability when taken orally
C. Increased half-life
D. Greater distribution volume
ANSWER : B
6. The half-life of a drug refers to:
A. The time for a drug to be completely excreted from the body
B. The time for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by 50%
C. The duration of drug action at the receptor site
D. The time from administration to peak effect
ANSWER : B
7. A patient with renal failure is prescribed a drug that is primarily renally
excreted. What adjustment should the nurse anticipate?
A. Increased dosage to compensate for poor absorption
B. No adjustment necessary
C. Reduced dosage or extended dosing interval
D. Switching to an intravenous route only
ANSWER : C
8. Which plasma protein most commonly binds to acidic drugs in the bloodstream?
A. Globulin
B. Fibrinogen
C. Albumin
D. Transferrin
ANSWER : C
,9. When two drugs compete for the same protein-binding site, what is the likely
result?
A. Decreased effect of both drugs
B. Increased free concentration of the displaced drug, potentially causing
toxicity
C. Enhanced renal clearance of both drugs
D. Reduced absorption of both drugs
ANSWER : B
10. A drug described as having a large volume of distribution (Vd) suggests that:
A. Most of the drug remains in the bloodstream
B. The drug is primarily excreted through the kidneys unchanged
C. The drug is extensively distributed into body tissues
D. The drug has poor lipid solubility
ANSWER : C
11. Cytochrome P450 enzymes are primarily involved in which phase of drug
pharmacokinetics?
A. Absorption
B. Distribution
C. Metabolism
D. Excretion
ANSWER : C
12. A drug is described as an 'agonist.' This means it:
A. Blocks receptor activity
B. Binds to a receptor and produces a response
C. Reduces drug metabolism in the liver
D. Competes with neurotransmitters for excretion
ANSWER : B
13. A competitive antagonist works by:
A. Permanently inactivating receptor sites
B. Occupying receptor sites and preventing agonist binding, but can be
overcome by increasing agonist concentration
C. Breaking down the agonist drug before it reaches the receptor
D. Stimulating an entirely different receptor to counteract the agonist
, ANSWER : B
14. The 'therapeutic window' is defined as:
A. The time frame during which a drug should be administered
B. The range of drug concentration between minimum effective concentration
and minimum toxic concentration
C. The amount of drug needed to produce 50% of the maximum effect
D. The optimal plasma protein binding range for a drug
ANSWER : B
15. An ED50 refers to:
A. The dose lethal to 50% of a test population
B. The dose effective in 50% of the population
C. The dose that produces 50% protein binding
D. The elimination of 50% of drug within 24 hours
ANSWER : B
16. Which of the following best describes drug tolerance?
A. An unexpected adverse reaction to a drug
B. A diminished response to a drug after repeated administration, requiring
larger doses to achieve the same effect
C. An allergic response to a drug upon first exposure
D. The increased absorption of a drug due to food intake
ANSWER : B
17. A patient experiences a type I hypersensitivity reaction to penicillin. The nurse
understands this is mediated by:
A. T-lymphocytes
B. IgE antibodies
C. IgG antibodies
D. Complement proteins
ANSWER : B
18. When is steady-state plasma concentration typically reached?
A. After one dose of any drug
B. After approximately 4–5 half-lives of a drug
C. Immediately after the first intravenous dose
D. After 24 hours regardless of drug half-life
