Pharmacology
1. A provider prescribes phenobarbital for a client who has a seizure disorder. The medication has a long
half- life of 4 days. How many times per day should the nurse expect to administer this medication?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
2. A nurse educator is reviewing medication metabolism at an in-service presentation. Which of the
following factors should the educator include as a reason to administer lower medication dosages? (Select all
that apply.)
A. Increased renal excretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes
3. A nurse is preparing to administer eye drops to a client. Which of the following actions should the
nurse take? (Select all that apply.)
A. Have the client lie on one side.
B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
C. Tell the client to blink when the drops enter the eye.
D. Drop the medication into the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close the eye gently after
instillation.
4. A nurse is teaching a client about transdermal patches. Which of the following statements should the nurse
identify as an indication that the client understands?
A. "I will clean the site with an alcohol swab before I apply the patch."
B. "I will rotate the application sites weekly."
C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no hair."
D. "I will place the new patch on the site of the old patch."
5. A nurse reviewing a client's medical record notes a new prescription for verifying the trough level of
the client's medication. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Obtain a blood specimen immediately prior to administering the next dose of medication.
B. Verify that the client has been taking the medication for 24hr before obtaining a blood specimen.
C. Ask the client to provide a urine specimen after the next dose of medication.
D. Administer the medication, and obtain a blood specimen 30 min later.
6. A nurse is preparing a client's medications. Which the of following actions should the nurse take in following
legal practice guidelines? (Select all that apply.)
1
,A. Teach the client about the medication.
B. Determine the dosage.
C. Monitor for adverse effects.
D. Lock compartments for controlled substances.
E. Determine the client's insurance status.
7. A nurse is preparing to administer digoxin to a client who states, "I don't want to take that medication. I
do not want one more pill." Which of the following responses should the nurse make?
A. "Your physician prescribed it for so you really should take it."
B. "Well, let's just get it over quickly then." you,
C. "Okay, I'll just give you your other medications."
D. "Tell me your concerns about taking this medication."
8. A nurse is reviewing a client's prescribed medications. Which of the following situations represents a
contraindication to medication administration?
A. The client drank grapefruit juice, which could reduce a medication's effectiveness.
B. The medication has orthostatic hypotension as an adverse effect.
C. A medication is approved for ages 12 and older, and the client is 8 years old.
D. An antianxiety medication that has an adverse effect of drowsiness is prescribed as a preoperative sedative.
9. A nurse is assessing a client before administering medications. Which of the following data should the nurse
obtain? (Select all that apply.)
A. Use of herbal products
B. Daily fluid intake
C. Ability to
swallow
D. Previous surgical
history E. Allergies
10. A nurse is working with a newly licensed nurse who is administering medications to clients. Which of the
following actions should the nurse identify as an indication that the newly hired nurse understands
medication error prevention?
A. Taking all medications out of the unit-dose wrappers before entering the client's room
B. Checking the prescription when a single dose requires administration of multiple tablets
C. Administering a medication, then looking up the usual dosage range
D. Relying on another nurse to clarify a medication prescription
11. A nurse in a clinic is caring for a group of clients. The nurse should contact the provider about a potential
contraindication to a medication for which of the following clients? (Select all that apply.)
A. A client at 8 weeks of gestation who asks for an influenza immunization
B. A client who takes prednisone and has a possible fungal infection
C. A client who has chronic liver disease and is taking hydrocodone / acetaminophen
2
,D. A client who has peptic ulcer disease, takes sucralfate, and has started taking OTC aluminum hydroxide
3
, E. A client who has a prosthetic heart valve, takes warfarin, and reports a suspected pregnancy
12. A nurse is preparing to administer an IM dose of penicillin to a client who has a new prescription. The
client states when they took penicillin 3 years ago, they developed a rash. Which of the following actions
should the nurse take?
A. Administer the prescribed
dose. B. Withhold the medication.
C. Ask the provider to change the prescription to an oral form.
D. Administer an oral antihistamine the same time.
13. A nurse is providing discharge instructions for a client who has a new prescription for an
antihypertensive medication. Which of the following statements should the nurse give?
A. "Be sure to limit your potassium intake while taking the medication."
B. "You should check your blood pressure every 8 hours while taking this medication."
C. "Your medication dosage will be increased if you develop
tachycardia." D. "Change positions slowly when you move from sitting to
standing."
14. A nurse is reviewing a client's health record and notes that the client experienced permanent
extrapyramidal effects caused by a previous medication. The nurse should recognize that the
medication affected which of the following systems in the client?
A. Cardiovascular
B. Immune
C. Central nervous
D. Gastrointestinal
15. A nurse is caring for a client who is taking oral oxycodone. The client is also taking ibuprofen in three
recommended doses daily. The nurse should identify that an interaction between these two medications
will cause which of the following findings?
A. A decrease in blood levels of ibuprofen, possibly leading to a need for increased doses of this medication
B. A decrease in blood levels of oxycodone, possibly leading to a need for increased doses of this
medication. C. An increase in the expected therapeutic effect of both medications
D. An increase in expected adverse effects for both medications
16. A nurse is preparing to administer medications to a 4-month-old infant. Which of the following
pharmacokinetic principles should the nurse consider when administering medications to this client? (Select
all that apply.)
A. Infants have a more rapid gastric emptying time.
B. Infants have immature liver function.
C. Infants' blood-brain barrier is poorly developed.
D. Infants have an increased ability to absorb topical medications.
E. Infants have an increased number of protein-binding sites.
4
1. A provider prescribes phenobarbital for a client who has a seizure disorder. The medication has a long
half- life of 4 days. How many times per day should the nurse expect to administer this medication?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
2. A nurse educator is reviewing medication metabolism at an in-service presentation. Which of the
following factors should the educator include as a reason to administer lower medication dosages? (Select all
that apply.)
A. Increased renal excretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes
3. A nurse is preparing to administer eye drops to a client. Which of the following actions should the
nurse take? (Select all that apply.)
A. Have the client lie on one side.
B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
C. Tell the client to blink when the drops enter the eye.
D. Drop the medication into the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close the eye gently after
instillation.
4. A nurse is teaching a client about transdermal patches. Which of the following statements should the nurse
identify as an indication that the client understands?
A. "I will clean the site with an alcohol swab before I apply the patch."
B. "I will rotate the application sites weekly."
C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no hair."
D. "I will place the new patch on the site of the old patch."
5. A nurse reviewing a client's medical record notes a new prescription for verifying the trough level of
the client's medication. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Obtain a blood specimen immediately prior to administering the next dose of medication.
B. Verify that the client has been taking the medication for 24hr before obtaining a blood specimen.
C. Ask the client to provide a urine specimen after the next dose of medication.
D. Administer the medication, and obtain a blood specimen 30 min later.
6. A nurse is preparing a client's medications. Which the of following actions should the nurse take in following
legal practice guidelines? (Select all that apply.)
1
,A. Teach the client about the medication.
B. Determine the dosage.
C. Monitor for adverse effects.
D. Lock compartments for controlled substances.
E. Determine the client's insurance status.
7. A nurse is preparing to administer digoxin to a client who states, "I don't want to take that medication. I
do not want one more pill." Which of the following responses should the nurse make?
A. "Your physician prescribed it for so you really should take it."
B. "Well, let's just get it over quickly then." you,
C. "Okay, I'll just give you your other medications."
D. "Tell me your concerns about taking this medication."
8. A nurse is reviewing a client's prescribed medications. Which of the following situations represents a
contraindication to medication administration?
A. The client drank grapefruit juice, which could reduce a medication's effectiveness.
B. The medication has orthostatic hypotension as an adverse effect.
C. A medication is approved for ages 12 and older, and the client is 8 years old.
D. An antianxiety medication that has an adverse effect of drowsiness is prescribed as a preoperative sedative.
9. A nurse is assessing a client before administering medications. Which of the following data should the nurse
obtain? (Select all that apply.)
A. Use of herbal products
B. Daily fluid intake
C. Ability to
swallow
D. Previous surgical
history E. Allergies
10. A nurse is working with a newly licensed nurse who is administering medications to clients. Which of the
following actions should the nurse identify as an indication that the newly hired nurse understands
medication error prevention?
A. Taking all medications out of the unit-dose wrappers before entering the client's room
B. Checking the prescription when a single dose requires administration of multiple tablets
C. Administering a medication, then looking up the usual dosage range
D. Relying on another nurse to clarify a medication prescription
11. A nurse in a clinic is caring for a group of clients. The nurse should contact the provider about a potential
contraindication to a medication for which of the following clients? (Select all that apply.)
A. A client at 8 weeks of gestation who asks for an influenza immunization
B. A client who takes prednisone and has a possible fungal infection
C. A client who has chronic liver disease and is taking hydrocodone / acetaminophen
2
,D. A client who has peptic ulcer disease, takes sucralfate, and has started taking OTC aluminum hydroxide
3
, E. A client who has a prosthetic heart valve, takes warfarin, and reports a suspected pregnancy
12. A nurse is preparing to administer an IM dose of penicillin to a client who has a new prescription. The
client states when they took penicillin 3 years ago, they developed a rash. Which of the following actions
should the nurse take?
A. Administer the prescribed
dose. B. Withhold the medication.
C. Ask the provider to change the prescription to an oral form.
D. Administer an oral antihistamine the same time.
13. A nurse is providing discharge instructions for a client who has a new prescription for an
antihypertensive medication. Which of the following statements should the nurse give?
A. "Be sure to limit your potassium intake while taking the medication."
B. "You should check your blood pressure every 8 hours while taking this medication."
C. "Your medication dosage will be increased if you develop
tachycardia." D. "Change positions slowly when you move from sitting to
standing."
14. A nurse is reviewing a client's health record and notes that the client experienced permanent
extrapyramidal effects caused by a previous medication. The nurse should recognize that the
medication affected which of the following systems in the client?
A. Cardiovascular
B. Immune
C. Central nervous
D. Gastrointestinal
15. A nurse is caring for a client who is taking oral oxycodone. The client is also taking ibuprofen in three
recommended doses daily. The nurse should identify that an interaction between these two medications
will cause which of the following findings?
A. A decrease in blood levels of ibuprofen, possibly leading to a need for increased doses of this medication
B. A decrease in blood levels of oxycodone, possibly leading to a need for increased doses of this
medication. C. An increase in the expected therapeutic effect of both medications
D. An increase in expected adverse effects for both medications
16. A nurse is preparing to administer medications to a 4-month-old infant. Which of the following
pharmacokinetic principles should the nurse consider when administering medications to this client? (Select
all that apply.)
A. Infants have a more rapid gastric emptying time.
B. Infants have immature liver function.
C. Infants' blood-brain barrier is poorly developed.
D. Infants have an increased ability to absorb topical medications.
E. Infants have an increased number of protein-binding sites.
4
