C HAPTER 06 - C HALLENGES TO E FFECTIVE
D RUG T HERAPY
Test Bank - Focus on Nursing Pharmacology (8th Edition by Karch)
1. A nurse is preparing a drug for administration to a patient. The drug does
not have an indicated use for the patient’s medical diagnosis. What should
the nurse do?
a. Administer the drug as ordered.
b. Question the prescriber concerning the ordered drug.
c. Ask a coworker his or her thoughts about the ordered drug for the
patient.
d. Ask the patient why t he drug has been prescribed for him or her.
Ans: B
Feedback:
If the nurse is not sure about giving a drug, the order should be questioned.
The nurse should never give a medication that is not clear. Mistakes do
happen and the drug ordered, if not approved for the condition that the
patient has, could be an error on someone’s part. The person who wrote the
order should be questioned, not a co worker, who probabl y does not know
why an off-label drug is being used. It would be unprofessional and
inappropriate to ask the patient about the drug.
2. According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
recommendations, what is the role of the nurse in preparing for the
possibilit y of bioterrorism?
a. Post updated information on signs and symptoms of infections
caused by biological agents
, b. Provide guidelines for treating patients exposed to, or potentiall y
exposed to, biological agents
c. Remain current on recognition and treatment of infections caused by
biological weapons
d. Advocate for increased funding for research involving bioterrorism
and patient treatment
Ans: C
Feedback:
Nurses need to remain current about recognition of and treatment for those
exposed to biological weapons because nurses are often called upon to
answer questions, reassure the public, offer ed ucational programs, and serve
on emergency preparedness committees. The CDC posts updated information
on signs and symptoms of infections caused by biological agents that nurses
would read. The CDC also provides guidelines for how to treat patients
exposed to biological agents and the nurse must remain current on this
information. Although nurses could advocate for funding, this is not usuall y
the role of the nurse.
3. How can the nurse find the most up -to-date information about emergency
preparedness related to bioterrorism agents?
a. Read textbooks devoted to the topic.
b. Ask coworkers to explain current events.
c. Read journal articles about bioterrorism agents.
d. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web
site.
Ans: D
Feedback:
, The most current information will be found on the CDC Web site because
new information can be posted immediately whereas textbooks and journal
articles take time to print. Coworkers may or may not remain current on
emergency preparedness and should not be the primary sourc e of information.
4. The nurse is assessing a diabetic patient who has presented at the clinic
reporting several hypogl ycemic episodes during the past 3 weeks. The
nurse questions the patient about the use of herbal or alternative therapies,
suspecting what herbal remedy could cause the hypogl ycemic episodes?
a. St. John’s wort
b. Kava
c. Fish oil
d. Ginseng
Ans: D
Feedback:
Ginseng is known to decrease blood sugar levels. If the patient used this in
combination with his or her oral antidiabetic agent, diet, and exercis e, his or
her blood sugar could drop below therapeutic levels. St. John’s wort interacts
with many drugs, but not with antidiabetic agents. Kava is associated with
liver toxicit y. Fish oil has been associated with decreased coronary artery
disease.
5. A 22-year-old patient calls the clinic and tells the nurse that she has been
depressed and is thinking about taking St. John’s wort but wants to know if
it is safe first. The nurse begins by questioning what other medications the
patient takes and would be conce rned about a drug-alternative drug
interaction if the patient is also taking what t ype of medication?
a. Antihistamines
b. Analgesics
c. Antibiotics
, d. Oral contraceptives
Ans: D
Feedback:
St. John’s wort can interact with oral contraceptives that alter drug
metabolism, which can decrease the effectiveness of the contraceptive.
Analgesics, antibiotics, and antihistamines can be taken in combination with
St. John’s wort without known adverse effects.
6. A patient tells the clinic nurse that he or she has been taking over -the-
counter (OTC) Pepcid to relieve acid indigestion for several years. This is
the first time the patient has ever reported this issue to a health care
provider. As part of the teaching plan for this patient, the nurse explains
what risk associated with not sharing OTC drug use with the provider?
a. The OTC drug could be more expensive than seeking health care
advice.
b. The drug could mask symptoms of a serious problem that is
undiagnosed.
c. Use of the drug could cause a rebound effect of Pepcid.
d. The drug could interact with several cold medicines.
Ans: D
Feedback:
OTC drugs allow patients to self -diagnose and treat routine signs and
s ymptoms without seeing a health care provider. This self -prescribed
treatment, however, could mask a more serious underl ying medi cal problem
and result in a poor outcome for the patient. The issues of drug rebound and
drug interaction need to be considered, but the safet y issue related to self -
diagnosis and self-prescription presents the greatest risk to the patient.
D RUG T HERAPY
Test Bank - Focus on Nursing Pharmacology (8th Edition by Karch)
1. A nurse is preparing a drug for administration to a patient. The drug does
not have an indicated use for the patient’s medical diagnosis. What should
the nurse do?
a. Administer the drug as ordered.
b. Question the prescriber concerning the ordered drug.
c. Ask a coworker his or her thoughts about the ordered drug for the
patient.
d. Ask the patient why t he drug has been prescribed for him or her.
Ans: B
Feedback:
If the nurse is not sure about giving a drug, the order should be questioned.
The nurse should never give a medication that is not clear. Mistakes do
happen and the drug ordered, if not approved for the condition that the
patient has, could be an error on someone’s part. The person who wrote the
order should be questioned, not a co worker, who probabl y does not know
why an off-label drug is being used. It would be unprofessional and
inappropriate to ask the patient about the drug.
2. According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
recommendations, what is the role of the nurse in preparing for the
possibilit y of bioterrorism?
a. Post updated information on signs and symptoms of infections
caused by biological agents
, b. Provide guidelines for treating patients exposed to, or potentiall y
exposed to, biological agents
c. Remain current on recognition and treatment of infections caused by
biological weapons
d. Advocate for increased funding for research involving bioterrorism
and patient treatment
Ans: C
Feedback:
Nurses need to remain current about recognition of and treatment for those
exposed to biological weapons because nurses are often called upon to
answer questions, reassure the public, offer ed ucational programs, and serve
on emergency preparedness committees. The CDC posts updated information
on signs and symptoms of infections caused by biological agents that nurses
would read. The CDC also provides guidelines for how to treat patients
exposed to biological agents and the nurse must remain current on this
information. Although nurses could advocate for funding, this is not usuall y
the role of the nurse.
3. How can the nurse find the most up -to-date information about emergency
preparedness related to bioterrorism agents?
a. Read textbooks devoted to the topic.
b. Ask coworkers to explain current events.
c. Read journal articles about bioterrorism agents.
d. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web
site.
Ans: D
Feedback:
, The most current information will be found on the CDC Web site because
new information can be posted immediately whereas textbooks and journal
articles take time to print. Coworkers may or may not remain current on
emergency preparedness and should not be the primary sourc e of information.
4. The nurse is assessing a diabetic patient who has presented at the clinic
reporting several hypogl ycemic episodes during the past 3 weeks. The
nurse questions the patient about the use of herbal or alternative therapies,
suspecting what herbal remedy could cause the hypogl ycemic episodes?
a. St. John’s wort
b. Kava
c. Fish oil
d. Ginseng
Ans: D
Feedback:
Ginseng is known to decrease blood sugar levels. If the patient used this in
combination with his or her oral antidiabetic agent, diet, and exercis e, his or
her blood sugar could drop below therapeutic levels. St. John’s wort interacts
with many drugs, but not with antidiabetic agents. Kava is associated with
liver toxicit y. Fish oil has been associated with decreased coronary artery
disease.
5. A 22-year-old patient calls the clinic and tells the nurse that she has been
depressed and is thinking about taking St. John’s wort but wants to know if
it is safe first. The nurse begins by questioning what other medications the
patient takes and would be conce rned about a drug-alternative drug
interaction if the patient is also taking what t ype of medication?
a. Antihistamines
b. Analgesics
c. Antibiotics
, d. Oral contraceptives
Ans: D
Feedback:
St. John’s wort can interact with oral contraceptives that alter drug
metabolism, which can decrease the effectiveness of the contraceptive.
Analgesics, antibiotics, and antihistamines can be taken in combination with
St. John’s wort without known adverse effects.
6. A patient tells the clinic nurse that he or she has been taking over -the-
counter (OTC) Pepcid to relieve acid indigestion for several years. This is
the first time the patient has ever reported this issue to a health care
provider. As part of the teaching plan for this patient, the nurse explains
what risk associated with not sharing OTC drug use with the provider?
a. The OTC drug could be more expensive than seeking health care
advice.
b. The drug could mask symptoms of a serious problem that is
undiagnosed.
c. Use of the drug could cause a rebound effect of Pepcid.
d. The drug could interact with several cold medicines.
Ans: D
Feedback:
OTC drugs allow patients to self -diagnose and treat routine signs and
s ymptoms without seeing a health care provider. This self -prescribed
treatment, however, could mask a more serious underl ying medi cal problem
and result in a poor outcome for the patient. The issues of drug rebound and
drug interaction need to be considered, but the safet y issue related to self -
diagnosis and self-prescription presents the greatest risk to the patient.
