PHARMA NURS EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
ASSURED A+
• Zia is a 4-month-old patient with otitis media. Education of his parents
regarding administering oral antibiotics to an infant includes:
A. How to administer an oral drug using a medication syringe
B. Mixing the medication with a couple of ounces of formula and putting it in a
bottle
C. Discontinuing the antibiotic if diarrhea occurs
D. Calling for an antibiotic change if the infant chokes and sputters during
administration
• To increase adherence in pediatric patients, prescription medication
should:
A. Have a short half-life
B. Be the best tasting of the effective drugs
C. Be the least concentrated form of the medication
D. Be administered 3 or 4 times a day
• Janie is a 5-month-old breastfed infant with a fever. Treatment for her
fever may include:
A. “Baby” aspirin
B. Acetaminophen suppository
C. Ibuprofen suppository
D. Alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen
• A nurse is reviewing the chart of a new client in the family medicine clinic and
notes the client is identified as George Smith. The nurse enters the room and finds
a woman in a skirt. What action by the nurse is best?
A. Apologize and declare confusion about the client.
, B. Ask Mrs. Smith where her husband is right now.
C. Ask the client about preferred forms of address.
D. Explain that the chart must contain an error.
The nurse may encounter transgender clients whose outward appearance does not
match their demographic data. In this case, the nurse should greet the client and
ask the client to explain his or her preferred forms of address. Lengthy apologies
can often create embarrassment. The nurse should not assume the client is not
present in the room. The chart may or may not contain errors, but that is not
related to determining how the client prefers to be addressed.
• A nurse is providing health teaching to a middle-aged male-to-female
(MtF) client who has undergone gender reassignment surgery. What
information is most important to this client?
A. Be sure to have an annual prostate examination.
B. Continue your normal health screenings.
C. Try to avoid being around people who are ill.
D. You should have an annual flu vaccination.
The MtF client retains the prostate, so annual screening examinations for
prostate cancer remains important. The other statements are good general health
teaching ideas for any client.
• A transgender client is taking transdermal estrogen (Climara). What
assessment finding does the nurse report immediately to the provider?
A. Breast tenderness
B. Headaches
C. Red, swollen calf
D. Swollen
ankles
A red, swollen calf could be a manifestation of a deep vein thrombosis, a known
side effect of estrogen. The nurse reports this finding immediately. The other
manifestations are also side effects of estrogen but do not need to be reported as a
priority.
, • A transgender client taking spironolactone (Aldactone) is in the internal
medicine clinic reporting heart palpitations. What action by the nurse takes
priority?
A. Draw blood to test serum potassium.
B. Have the client lie down.
C. Obtain a STAT electrocardiogram (ECG).
D. Take a set of vital
signs. ANS: C
Spironolactone is a potassium-sparing diuretic, and hyperkalemia can cause
cardiac dysrhythmias. The nurse's priority is to obtain an ECG, and then to
facilitate a serum potassium level being drawn. Having the client lie down and
obtaining vital signs are also important care measures, but do not take priority.
• The nurse is teaching a transgender client about the medication goserelin
(Zoladex). What action by the client indicates good understanding?
A. Takes a manual blood pressure
B. Administers a subcutaneous injection
C. Prepares an implanted port for IV insertion
D. States that the axillary area will be
clothed
Goserelin is administered via subcutaneous injection. The other actions are not
related to self-management while on this medication.
• A client is preparing for gender reassignment surgery and will transition from
male to female. The client is worried about the voice not sounding feminine
enough. What action by the nurse is best?
A. Ask if the client has considered vocal cord surgery to change the voice.
B. Refer the client for vocal therapy with speech-language
pathology.
C. Teach the client that there will be no effect on the client's voice.
D. Tell the client that the use of hormones will eventually change the voice.
Male-to-female clients can consult with a speech-language pathologist for vocal
training to help with intonation and pitch. While vocal surgery is possible, it may
not be the best first option due to cost and invasiveness. Telling the client there
ASSURED A+
• Zia is a 4-month-old patient with otitis media. Education of his parents
regarding administering oral antibiotics to an infant includes:
A. How to administer an oral drug using a medication syringe
B. Mixing the medication with a couple of ounces of formula and putting it in a
bottle
C. Discontinuing the antibiotic if diarrhea occurs
D. Calling for an antibiotic change if the infant chokes and sputters during
administration
• To increase adherence in pediatric patients, prescription medication
should:
A. Have a short half-life
B. Be the best tasting of the effective drugs
C. Be the least concentrated form of the medication
D. Be administered 3 or 4 times a day
• Janie is a 5-month-old breastfed infant with a fever. Treatment for her
fever may include:
A. “Baby” aspirin
B. Acetaminophen suppository
C. Ibuprofen suppository
D. Alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen
• A nurse is reviewing the chart of a new client in the family medicine clinic and
notes the client is identified as George Smith. The nurse enters the room and finds
a woman in a skirt. What action by the nurse is best?
A. Apologize and declare confusion about the client.
, B. Ask Mrs. Smith where her husband is right now.
C. Ask the client about preferred forms of address.
D. Explain that the chart must contain an error.
The nurse may encounter transgender clients whose outward appearance does not
match their demographic data. In this case, the nurse should greet the client and
ask the client to explain his or her preferred forms of address. Lengthy apologies
can often create embarrassment. The nurse should not assume the client is not
present in the room. The chart may or may not contain errors, but that is not
related to determining how the client prefers to be addressed.
• A nurse is providing health teaching to a middle-aged male-to-female
(MtF) client who has undergone gender reassignment surgery. What
information is most important to this client?
A. Be sure to have an annual prostate examination.
B. Continue your normal health screenings.
C. Try to avoid being around people who are ill.
D. You should have an annual flu vaccination.
The MtF client retains the prostate, so annual screening examinations for
prostate cancer remains important. The other statements are good general health
teaching ideas for any client.
• A transgender client is taking transdermal estrogen (Climara). What
assessment finding does the nurse report immediately to the provider?
A. Breast tenderness
B. Headaches
C. Red, swollen calf
D. Swollen
ankles
A red, swollen calf could be a manifestation of a deep vein thrombosis, a known
side effect of estrogen. The nurse reports this finding immediately. The other
manifestations are also side effects of estrogen but do not need to be reported as a
priority.
, • A transgender client taking spironolactone (Aldactone) is in the internal
medicine clinic reporting heart palpitations. What action by the nurse takes
priority?
A. Draw blood to test serum potassium.
B. Have the client lie down.
C. Obtain a STAT electrocardiogram (ECG).
D. Take a set of vital
signs. ANS: C
Spironolactone is a potassium-sparing diuretic, and hyperkalemia can cause
cardiac dysrhythmias. The nurse's priority is to obtain an ECG, and then to
facilitate a serum potassium level being drawn. Having the client lie down and
obtaining vital signs are also important care measures, but do not take priority.
• The nurse is teaching a transgender client about the medication goserelin
(Zoladex). What action by the client indicates good understanding?
A. Takes a manual blood pressure
B. Administers a subcutaneous injection
C. Prepares an implanted port for IV insertion
D. States that the axillary area will be
clothed
Goserelin is administered via subcutaneous injection. The other actions are not
related to self-management while on this medication.
• A client is preparing for gender reassignment surgery and will transition from
male to female. The client is worried about the voice not sounding feminine
enough. What action by the nurse is best?
A. Ask if the client has considered vocal cord surgery to change the voice.
B. Refer the client for vocal therapy with speech-language
pathology.
C. Teach the client that there will be no effect on the client's voice.
D. Tell the client that the use of hormones will eventually change the voice.
Male-to-female clients can consult with a speech-language pathologist for vocal
training to help with intonation and pitch. While vocal surgery is possible, it may
not be the best first option due to cost and invasiveness. Telling the client there
