ATI Pharmacology Proctored Exam
questions and answers 2024
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 - ANSWERS A (Medications with long half-lives remain at their therapeutic
levels between doses for long periods of time. The nurse should expect to administer
this medication once a day.)
A staff educator is reviewing medication dosages and factors that influence medication
metabolism with a group of nurses 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 secretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes - ANSWERS Answer:
C, E
(C. Liver failure decreases metabolism and thus increases the concentration of a
medication. This requires decreasing the dosage.
E. When the same pathway metabolizes two medications, they compete for metabolism,
thereby increasing the concentration of one or both medications. This requires
decreasing the dosage of one or both)
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 her side.
B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
C. Tell the client to blink when the drops enter her eye.
D. Drop the medication into the center of the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close her eye gently after instillation - ANSWERS b, d, e
(B. The client should look upward to keep the drops from falling onto her cornea.
D. The nurse should drop the medication into the
center of the conjunctival sac to promote distribution.
E. The client should close her eye gently to promote distribution of the medication)
, A nurse is completing discharge teaching for a client who has a new prescription for
transdermal patches. Which of the following statements should the nurse identify as an
indication that the client understands the instructions?
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. - ANSWERS C (The client
should apply the patch to a hairless area of skin to promote absorption of the
medication.)
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 24 hr 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 late - ANSWERS A
(To verify trough levels of a medication, the nurse should obtain a blood specimen
immediately before administering the next dose of medication.)
A nurse is preparing a client's medications. Which of the following actions should the
nurse take in following legal practice guidelines? (Select all that apply.)
A. Maintain skill competency.
B. Determine the dosage.
C. Monitor for adverse effects.
D. Safeguard medications.
E. Identify the client's diagnosis - ANSWERS a, c, d
(A.maintaining skill competency and using appropriate administration techniques are
legal responsibilities of the nurse
C. A nurse is legally responsible for monitoring for side and adverse effects of
medication
D. Safeguarding of medications, such as controlled substances, is a legal responsibility
of the nurse)
A nurse reviewing a client's health record notes a new prescription for Lisinopril 10 mg
PO once every day. The nurse should identify this as which of the following types of
prescription?
A. Single
B. Stat
C. Routine
,D. Standing - ANSWERS C (A routine or standard prescription identifies medications to
give on a regular schedule with or without a termination date or a specific number of
doses. The nurse will administer
this medication every day until the provider discontinues it.)
A nurse is reviewing a new prescription for Ondansetron 4 mg PO PRN for nausea and
vomiting for a client who has Hyperemesis Gravidarum. The nurse should clarify which
of the following parts of the prescription with the provider?
A. Name
B. Dosage
C. Route
D. Frequency - ANSWERS D (This prescription does not include the time or frequency
of medication administration. The nurse must clarify this with the prescribing provide)
A nurse is admitting a client and completing a preassessment before administering
medications. Which of the following data should the nurse include in the
preassessment? (Select all that apply.)
A. Use of herbal teas
B. Daily fluid intake
C. Current health status
D. Previous surgical history
E. Food allergies - ANSWERS a, c, e
(A. The nurse should inquire about the client's use of herbal products, which often
contain caffeine, prior to medication administration because caffeine can affect
medication biotransformation
C. The nurse should review the client's current health status because new prescriptions
can cause alterations in current health status
E. The nurse should inquire about food allergies during the preassessment to identify
any potential reactions or interactions)
A nurse orienting a newly licensed nurse is reviewing the procedure for taking a
telephone prescription. Which of the following statements should the nurse identify as
an
indication that the newly licensed nurse understands the process?
A. "A second nurse enters the prescription into the client's medical record."
B. "Another nurse should listen to the phone call."
C. "The provider can clarify the prescription when he signs the health record."
D. "I should omit the 'read back' if this is a one-time prescription - ANSWERS B (A
second nurse should listen to a telephone prescription to prevent errors in
communication.)
A nurse is preparing to administer vancomycin 1 g by intermittent IV bolus. Available is
vancomycin 1 g in 100 mL of dextrose 5% in water (D5W) to infuse over 45 min. The
drop factor of the manual IV tubing is 10 gtt/mL. The nurse should adjust the manual IV
, infusion to deliver how many gtt/min? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number.
Do not use a trailing zero. - ANSWERS 22
A nurse is preparing to administer clindamycin 200 mg by intermittent IV bolus. The
amount available is clindamycin injection 200 mg in 100 mL 0.9% sodium chloride
(0.9% NaCl) to infuse over 30 min. The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver how
many mL/hr? (Round
the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero. - ANSWERS 200
A nurse is preparing to administer furosemide 80 mg PO daily. The amount available is
furosemide oral
solution 10 mg/1 mL. how many mL should the nurse administer? (Round the answer to
the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero.) - ANSWERS 8
A nurse is preparing to administer Haloperidol 2 mg PO every 12 hr. The amount
available is haloperidol 1 mg/tablet. how many tablets should the nurse administer?
(Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero. -
ANSWERS 2
A nurse is preparing to administer Amoxicillin 20 mg/kg/day PO to divide equally every
12 hr to a preschooler who weighs 44 lb. The amount available is amoxicillin
suspension 250 mg/5 mL. how many mL should the nurse administer per dose? (Round
the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero.) - ANSWERS 4
A nurse is preparing to administer heparin 15,000 units subcutaneously every 12 hr.
The amount available is heparin injection 20,000 units/mL. How many mL should the
nurse administer per dose? (Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Do not use a
trailing zero. - ANSWERS 0.8
A nurse is preparing to administer acetaminophen 650 mg PO every 6 hr PRN for pain.
The amount available is acetaminophen liquid 500 mg/5 mL.
how many mL should
the nurse administer per dose? (Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Use a leading
zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero. - ANSWERS 6.5
A nurse is preparing to administer dextrose 5% in water (D5W) 750 mL IV to infuse
over 6 hr. The nurse should set the IV pump to
deliver how many mL/hr? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use
a trailing zero. - ANSWERS 125
A nurse is assessing a client's IV infusion site. Which of the following findings should
the nurse identify as an indication of phlebitis? (Select all that apply.)
A. Pallor
B. Dampness
C. Erythema
D. Coolness
questions and answers 2024
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 - ANSWERS A (Medications with long half-lives remain at their therapeutic
levels between doses for long periods of time. The nurse should expect to administer
this medication once a day.)
A staff educator is reviewing medication dosages and factors that influence medication
metabolism with a group of nurses 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 secretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes - ANSWERS Answer:
C, E
(C. Liver failure decreases metabolism and thus increases the concentration of a
medication. This requires decreasing the dosage.
E. When the same pathway metabolizes two medications, they compete for metabolism,
thereby increasing the concentration of one or both medications. This requires
decreasing the dosage of one or both)
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 her side.
B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
C. Tell the client to blink when the drops enter her eye.
D. Drop the medication into the center of the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close her eye gently after instillation - ANSWERS b, d, e
(B. The client should look upward to keep the drops from falling onto her cornea.
D. The nurse should drop the medication into the
center of the conjunctival sac to promote distribution.
E. The client should close her eye gently to promote distribution of the medication)
, A nurse is completing discharge teaching for a client who has a new prescription for
transdermal patches. Which of the following statements should the nurse identify as an
indication that the client understands the instructions?
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. - ANSWERS C (The client
should apply the patch to a hairless area of skin to promote absorption of the
medication.)
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 24 hr 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 late - ANSWERS A
(To verify trough levels of a medication, the nurse should obtain a blood specimen
immediately before administering the next dose of medication.)
A nurse is preparing a client's medications. Which of the following actions should the
nurse take in following legal practice guidelines? (Select all that apply.)
A. Maintain skill competency.
B. Determine the dosage.
C. Monitor for adverse effects.
D. Safeguard medications.
E. Identify the client's diagnosis - ANSWERS a, c, d
(A.maintaining skill competency and using appropriate administration techniques are
legal responsibilities of the nurse
C. A nurse is legally responsible for monitoring for side and adverse effects of
medication
D. Safeguarding of medications, such as controlled substances, is a legal responsibility
of the nurse)
A nurse reviewing a client's health record notes a new prescription for Lisinopril 10 mg
PO once every day. The nurse should identify this as which of the following types of
prescription?
A. Single
B. Stat
C. Routine
,D. Standing - ANSWERS C (A routine or standard prescription identifies medications to
give on a regular schedule with or without a termination date or a specific number of
doses. The nurse will administer
this medication every day until the provider discontinues it.)
A nurse is reviewing a new prescription for Ondansetron 4 mg PO PRN for nausea and
vomiting for a client who has Hyperemesis Gravidarum. The nurse should clarify which
of the following parts of the prescription with the provider?
A. Name
B. Dosage
C. Route
D. Frequency - ANSWERS D (This prescription does not include the time or frequency
of medication administration. The nurse must clarify this with the prescribing provide)
A nurse is admitting a client and completing a preassessment before administering
medications. Which of the following data should the nurse include in the
preassessment? (Select all that apply.)
A. Use of herbal teas
B. Daily fluid intake
C. Current health status
D. Previous surgical history
E. Food allergies - ANSWERS a, c, e
(A. The nurse should inquire about the client's use of herbal products, which often
contain caffeine, prior to medication administration because caffeine can affect
medication biotransformation
C. The nurse should review the client's current health status because new prescriptions
can cause alterations in current health status
E. The nurse should inquire about food allergies during the preassessment to identify
any potential reactions or interactions)
A nurse orienting a newly licensed nurse is reviewing the procedure for taking a
telephone prescription. Which of the following statements should the nurse identify as
an
indication that the newly licensed nurse understands the process?
A. "A second nurse enters the prescription into the client's medical record."
B. "Another nurse should listen to the phone call."
C. "The provider can clarify the prescription when he signs the health record."
D. "I should omit the 'read back' if this is a one-time prescription - ANSWERS B (A
second nurse should listen to a telephone prescription to prevent errors in
communication.)
A nurse is preparing to administer vancomycin 1 g by intermittent IV bolus. Available is
vancomycin 1 g in 100 mL of dextrose 5% in water (D5W) to infuse over 45 min. The
drop factor of the manual IV tubing is 10 gtt/mL. The nurse should adjust the manual IV
, infusion to deliver how many gtt/min? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number.
Do not use a trailing zero. - ANSWERS 22
A nurse is preparing to administer clindamycin 200 mg by intermittent IV bolus. The
amount available is clindamycin injection 200 mg in 100 mL 0.9% sodium chloride
(0.9% NaCl) to infuse over 30 min. The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver how
many mL/hr? (Round
the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero. - ANSWERS 200
A nurse is preparing to administer furosemide 80 mg PO daily. The amount available is
furosemide oral
solution 10 mg/1 mL. how many mL should the nurse administer? (Round the answer to
the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero.) - ANSWERS 8
A nurse is preparing to administer Haloperidol 2 mg PO every 12 hr. The amount
available is haloperidol 1 mg/tablet. how many tablets should the nurse administer?
(Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero. -
ANSWERS 2
A nurse is preparing to administer Amoxicillin 20 mg/kg/day PO to divide equally every
12 hr to a preschooler who weighs 44 lb. The amount available is amoxicillin
suspension 250 mg/5 mL. how many mL should the nurse administer per dose? (Round
the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero.) - ANSWERS 4
A nurse is preparing to administer heparin 15,000 units subcutaneously every 12 hr.
The amount available is heparin injection 20,000 units/mL. How many mL should the
nurse administer per dose? (Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Do not use a
trailing zero. - ANSWERS 0.8
A nurse is preparing to administer acetaminophen 650 mg PO every 6 hr PRN for pain.
The amount available is acetaminophen liquid 500 mg/5 mL.
how many mL should
the nurse administer per dose? (Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Use a leading
zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero. - ANSWERS 6.5
A nurse is preparing to administer dextrose 5% in water (D5W) 750 mL IV to infuse
over 6 hr. The nurse should set the IV pump to
deliver how many mL/hr? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use
a trailing zero. - ANSWERS 125
A nurse is assessing a client's IV infusion site. Which of the following findings should
the nurse identify as an indication of phlebitis? (Select all that apply.)
A. Pallor
B. Dampness
C. Erythema
D. Coolness
