NUR 311: Pharmacology Exam 1 Study Questions With
Complete Solutions
A new medication becomes available for treatment of a
debilitating neurologic disease. What would be the nurse's
expectation about the safety of the drug?
a. The drug is safe for administration to children.
b. The drug has been tested in pregnant women.
c. All possible adverse effects have been identified by animal
testing.
d. The drug has passed the U.S. FDA approval process. Correct
Answer d. The drug has passed the U.S. FDA approval process.
A nurse develops a plan to minimize the risk of adrenal
insufficiency for a patient who is receiving long-term
glucocorticoid therapy. Which of these outcomes should be
included?
a. Increases daily intake of sodium for vascular expansion.
b. Tapers blood pressure medications to avoid hypotension.
c. Obtains periodic ultrasounds of adrenal glands.
d. Increases or supplements dosages at times of stress. Correct
Answer d. Increases or supplements dosages at times of stress.
A nurse gives a medication that inhibits acetylcholinesterase.
How would this drug affect autonomic activity?
a. Parasympathetic activity would increase.
b. Parasympathetic signals would be depressed.
c. Sympathetic activity would increase.
,d. Respiratory centers would be depressed. Correct Answer a.
Parasympathetic activity would increase.
A nurse is preparing to give a drug that stimulates the
parasympathetic nervous system. Which patient response below
is an expected outcome of this drug?
a. Wheezing decreases due to bronchodilation.
b. Heart rate decreases to 60 beats/min.
c. Diarrhea stool count decreases.
d. Oxygenation improves because of bronchodilation. Correct
Answer b. Heart rate decreases to 60 beats/min.
A nurse is preparing to give a medication that stimulates the
beta2 receptors. What response will the nurse expect from this
drug?
a. Increased peristalsis
b. Constriction of the pupil
c. Hypoglycemia
d. Bronchodilation Correct Answer d. Bronchodilation
A nurse is preparing to give an oral dose of drug X to treat a
patient's high blood pressure. After giving the drug, the nurse
finds that it reduces the blood pressure without serious harmful
effects, but also causes the patient to have nausea and a
headache. Based on this information, which property of an ideal
drug is this drug lacking?
a. Effectiveness
b. Safety
,c. Selectivity
d. Ease of administration Correct Answer c. Selectivity
A nurse prepares a patient teaching plan regarding medication
management. Select the verb that best specifies the desired
outcome. The patient will _____________ signs and symptoms
of toxicity of the medication.
a. remember
b. know
c. describe
d. understand Correct Answer c. describe
A nurse prepares to administer a newly prescribed medication to
a 22-year-old woman. The insert in the medication package
states, "Category X." Select the nurse's best action.
a. Ask the patient, "Have you been sexually active during the
past year?"
b. Ask the patient, "When was your last menstrual period?"
c. Inform the patient of the primary actions of the medication.
d. Assess the patient for a history of sexually transmitted
disease. Correct Answer b. Ask the patient, "When was your
last menstrual period?"
A nurse prepares to administer an oral medication. Which form
of the medication would the nurse expect to have the most rapid
onset of action?
a. Liquid
b. Tablet
, c. Capsule
d. Gel cap Correct Answer a. Liquid
A nurse recognizes that a patient receiving glucocorticoids in
pharmacologic doses is a t risk to develop which of these
complications? Select all that apply.
a. Impaired carbohydrate and glucose tolerance
b. Increased production of glucocorticoids from adrenals
c. Predisposition to gastrointestinal ulceration
d. Decrease in serum sodium and glucose levels
e. Increase in plaque development in coronary arteries Correct
Answer a. Impaired carbohydrate and glucose tolerance
c. Predisposition to gastrointestinal ulceration
A nurse should monitor more frequently which of these
laboratory results when a patient is taking glucocorticoids and
digoxin (Lanoxin)?
a. Calcium
b. Magnesium
c. Sodium
d. Potassium Correct Answer d. Potassium
A patient has an infection affecting a CNS component. Which
structure makes the delivery of antibiotic therapy more difficult?
a. Blood-brain barrier
b. Chemotherapeutic trigger zone
c. Neuropeptide receptors
d. Thalamic synapses Correct Answer a. Blood-brain barrier
Complete Solutions
A new medication becomes available for treatment of a
debilitating neurologic disease. What would be the nurse's
expectation about the safety of the drug?
a. The drug is safe for administration to children.
b. The drug has been tested in pregnant women.
c. All possible adverse effects have been identified by animal
testing.
d. The drug has passed the U.S. FDA approval process. Correct
Answer d. The drug has passed the U.S. FDA approval process.
A nurse develops a plan to minimize the risk of adrenal
insufficiency for a patient who is receiving long-term
glucocorticoid therapy. Which of these outcomes should be
included?
a. Increases daily intake of sodium for vascular expansion.
b. Tapers blood pressure medications to avoid hypotension.
c. Obtains periodic ultrasounds of adrenal glands.
d. Increases or supplements dosages at times of stress. Correct
Answer d. Increases or supplements dosages at times of stress.
A nurse gives a medication that inhibits acetylcholinesterase.
How would this drug affect autonomic activity?
a. Parasympathetic activity would increase.
b. Parasympathetic signals would be depressed.
c. Sympathetic activity would increase.
,d. Respiratory centers would be depressed. Correct Answer a.
Parasympathetic activity would increase.
A nurse is preparing to give a drug that stimulates the
parasympathetic nervous system. Which patient response below
is an expected outcome of this drug?
a. Wheezing decreases due to bronchodilation.
b. Heart rate decreases to 60 beats/min.
c. Diarrhea stool count decreases.
d. Oxygenation improves because of bronchodilation. Correct
Answer b. Heart rate decreases to 60 beats/min.
A nurse is preparing to give a medication that stimulates the
beta2 receptors. What response will the nurse expect from this
drug?
a. Increased peristalsis
b. Constriction of the pupil
c. Hypoglycemia
d. Bronchodilation Correct Answer d. Bronchodilation
A nurse is preparing to give an oral dose of drug X to treat a
patient's high blood pressure. After giving the drug, the nurse
finds that it reduces the blood pressure without serious harmful
effects, but also causes the patient to have nausea and a
headache. Based on this information, which property of an ideal
drug is this drug lacking?
a. Effectiveness
b. Safety
,c. Selectivity
d. Ease of administration Correct Answer c. Selectivity
A nurse prepares a patient teaching plan regarding medication
management. Select the verb that best specifies the desired
outcome. The patient will _____________ signs and symptoms
of toxicity of the medication.
a. remember
b. know
c. describe
d. understand Correct Answer c. describe
A nurse prepares to administer a newly prescribed medication to
a 22-year-old woman. The insert in the medication package
states, "Category X." Select the nurse's best action.
a. Ask the patient, "Have you been sexually active during the
past year?"
b. Ask the patient, "When was your last menstrual period?"
c. Inform the patient of the primary actions of the medication.
d. Assess the patient for a history of sexually transmitted
disease. Correct Answer b. Ask the patient, "When was your
last menstrual period?"
A nurse prepares to administer an oral medication. Which form
of the medication would the nurse expect to have the most rapid
onset of action?
a. Liquid
b. Tablet
, c. Capsule
d. Gel cap Correct Answer a. Liquid
A nurse recognizes that a patient receiving glucocorticoids in
pharmacologic doses is a t risk to develop which of these
complications? Select all that apply.
a. Impaired carbohydrate and glucose tolerance
b. Increased production of glucocorticoids from adrenals
c. Predisposition to gastrointestinal ulceration
d. Decrease in serum sodium and glucose levels
e. Increase in plaque development in coronary arteries Correct
Answer a. Impaired carbohydrate and glucose tolerance
c. Predisposition to gastrointestinal ulceration
A nurse should monitor more frequently which of these
laboratory results when a patient is taking glucocorticoids and
digoxin (Lanoxin)?
a. Calcium
b. Magnesium
c. Sodium
d. Potassium Correct Answer d. Potassium
A patient has an infection affecting a CNS component. Which
structure makes the delivery of antibiotic therapy more difficult?
a. Blood-brain barrier
b. Chemotherapeutic trigger zone
c. Neuropeptide receptors
d. Thalamic synapses Correct Answer a. Blood-brain barrier
