NUR 2407 / NUR2407 / NUR 2474 Pharmacology Quiz Bank
| Q & A | Rasmussen College
1. A nurse recognizes that the actions of benzodiazepines include which of the following
benefits? (Select all that apply.)
A) Sleep facilitation
B) Relief of general anxiety
C) Suppression of seizures and/or seizure activity
D) Reversal of Parkinsonism
E) Improvement of muscle coordination
2. What lab value will best reflect renal function in a client taking multiple medicines?
A) creatinine clearance
B) potassium levels
C) sodium levels
D) urinalysis
3. A client who has been taking an antiepileptic medication with a narrow therapeutic
window for 2 weeks seems confused and forgetful. What should be the priority action of
the nurse?
A) Call the prescriber and have them change the seizure medication changed.
B) Give an antihistamine like diphenhydramine under house protocol for a suspected
allergy.
C) Seek a plasma drug level from the client's physician.
, D) Set up oxygen and obtain an order for activated charcoal.
4. An elderly person is being assessed for repeated falls. Which of their medicines increases
that risk? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY!
A) Halcion (triazolam), a benzodiazepine for sleep
B) Acetaminophen (APAP), a peripheral analgesic for back pain
C) OxyContin (oxycodone), an opiate for back pain
D) Lyrica (pregabalin), a GABA sustainer for nerve pain
E) Lidoderm (lidocaine) patch for local control of back pain
5. A nurse is providing client education about the use of a fentanyl transdermal delivery
system. Which of these statements would indicate accurate understanding of self-care
expectations?
A) Massage the patch whenever pain occurs
B) Always apply the patch to the same spot on your skin
C) Change the patch every 72 hours
D) Driving is safe when using this form of narcotic
6. A client taking paroxetine (Paxil), a serotonin reuptake inhibitor for post traumatic stress
disorder, calls the clinic complaining of confusion, restlessness and fever. What should
the nurse reply?
A) Tell him to seek a haloperidol (Haldol) prescription from an urgent care doctor.
B) Have him talk to his doctor before taking any more Paxil. These are signs of
serotonin toxicity.
, C) Have him submit a urine specimen. He is at risk for drug induced urine retention,
and UTI.
D) Explain to the client that these are expected antidepressant side effects that will
subside with time.
7. The nurse reads that the half-life or morphine is roughly 3 hours. How would the nurse
use this information to decide if it is safe to give Morphine every 3 hours as needed for
pain?
A) The half-life of Morphine shouldn't be an issue here. Pain should determine the
interval"
B) The half-life for Morphine shortens in states of dependence. It will be needed
more often."
C) The half-life of Morphine shortens over time as the liver becomes familiar with
the drug.
D) The half-life of Morphine would be longer in hepatic insufficiency. The drug
would accumulate.
8. Which of these effects of opiate analgesics should be considered when formulating a
client care plan? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY
A) Constipation
B) Cough suppression
C) Inflammation reduction
D) Fall risk
E) Fever reduction
, 9. A client experiencing loss of libido wants to know why he was started on citalopram, an
SSRI, rather than one of the other types of anti-depressants?" Which response would be
most appropriate?
A) "Probably it is the only medication that your insurance will pay for"
B) "I can't begin to guess what your doctor was thinking. You need to ask him."
C) "Serotonin reuptake inhibitors have fewer side effects than other
antidepressants"
D) "Medications like Celexa work much faster than the other medications"
10. A client taking amitriptyline (Elavil) complains of having blurred vision and dry mouth,
and he states that he hasn't had a bowel movement in 3 days, whereas he normally has
one daily. His vital signs are temperature 97.6° F, pulse 90/minute, blood pressure 130/79
mm Hg, and respirations 20/minute. Based on this assessment, the nurse should suspect
which of the following causes?
A) Medication incompatibilities
B) Sympatholytic effects
C) Dehydration
D) Anticholinergic effects
11. How would a nurse explain the way pilocarpine (Salagen) would resolve related dry
mouth.
A) It stimulates salivation by blocking nicotinic receptors
B) It stimulates salivation by stimulating muscarinic receptors
C) It stimulates salivation by stimulating alpha receptors in the brain
D) It stimulates salivation by redirecting fluid from the optic nerve
| Q & A | Rasmussen College
1. A nurse recognizes that the actions of benzodiazepines include which of the following
benefits? (Select all that apply.)
A) Sleep facilitation
B) Relief of general anxiety
C) Suppression of seizures and/or seizure activity
D) Reversal of Parkinsonism
E) Improvement of muscle coordination
2. What lab value will best reflect renal function in a client taking multiple medicines?
A) creatinine clearance
B) potassium levels
C) sodium levels
D) urinalysis
3. A client who has been taking an antiepileptic medication with a narrow therapeutic
window for 2 weeks seems confused and forgetful. What should be the priority action of
the nurse?
A) Call the prescriber and have them change the seizure medication changed.
B) Give an antihistamine like diphenhydramine under house protocol for a suspected
allergy.
C) Seek a plasma drug level from the client's physician.
, D) Set up oxygen and obtain an order for activated charcoal.
4. An elderly person is being assessed for repeated falls. Which of their medicines increases
that risk? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY!
A) Halcion (triazolam), a benzodiazepine for sleep
B) Acetaminophen (APAP), a peripheral analgesic for back pain
C) OxyContin (oxycodone), an opiate for back pain
D) Lyrica (pregabalin), a GABA sustainer for nerve pain
E) Lidoderm (lidocaine) patch for local control of back pain
5. A nurse is providing client education about the use of a fentanyl transdermal delivery
system. Which of these statements would indicate accurate understanding of self-care
expectations?
A) Massage the patch whenever pain occurs
B) Always apply the patch to the same spot on your skin
C) Change the patch every 72 hours
D) Driving is safe when using this form of narcotic
6. A client taking paroxetine (Paxil), a serotonin reuptake inhibitor for post traumatic stress
disorder, calls the clinic complaining of confusion, restlessness and fever. What should
the nurse reply?
A) Tell him to seek a haloperidol (Haldol) prescription from an urgent care doctor.
B) Have him talk to his doctor before taking any more Paxil. These are signs of
serotonin toxicity.
, C) Have him submit a urine specimen. He is at risk for drug induced urine retention,
and UTI.
D) Explain to the client that these are expected antidepressant side effects that will
subside with time.
7. The nurse reads that the half-life or morphine is roughly 3 hours. How would the nurse
use this information to decide if it is safe to give Morphine every 3 hours as needed for
pain?
A) The half-life of Morphine shouldn't be an issue here. Pain should determine the
interval"
B) The half-life for Morphine shortens in states of dependence. It will be needed
more often."
C) The half-life of Morphine shortens over time as the liver becomes familiar with
the drug.
D) The half-life of Morphine would be longer in hepatic insufficiency. The drug
would accumulate.
8. Which of these effects of opiate analgesics should be considered when formulating a
client care plan? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY
A) Constipation
B) Cough suppression
C) Inflammation reduction
D) Fall risk
E) Fever reduction
, 9. A client experiencing loss of libido wants to know why he was started on citalopram, an
SSRI, rather than one of the other types of anti-depressants?" Which response would be
most appropriate?
A) "Probably it is the only medication that your insurance will pay for"
B) "I can't begin to guess what your doctor was thinking. You need to ask him."
C) "Serotonin reuptake inhibitors have fewer side effects than other
antidepressants"
D) "Medications like Celexa work much faster than the other medications"
10. A client taking amitriptyline (Elavil) complains of having blurred vision and dry mouth,
and he states that he hasn't had a bowel movement in 3 days, whereas he normally has
one daily. His vital signs are temperature 97.6° F, pulse 90/minute, blood pressure 130/79
mm Hg, and respirations 20/minute. Based on this assessment, the nurse should suspect
which of the following causes?
A) Medication incompatibilities
B) Sympatholytic effects
C) Dehydration
D) Anticholinergic effects
11. How would a nurse explain the way pilocarpine (Salagen) would resolve related dry
mouth.
A) It stimulates salivation by blocking nicotinic receptors
B) It stimulates salivation by stimulating muscarinic receptors
C) It stimulates salivation by stimulating alpha receptors in the brain
D) It stimulates salivation by redirecting fluid from the optic nerve
