Pharmacology Exam 1 Review
Questions with Complete Answers
The nurse is preparing to care for a patient who will be taking antihypertensive
medication. Which action by the nurse is part of the assessment step of the nursing
process? - ANSWER-Questioning the patient about over-the-counter medications.
A postoperative patient reports pain, which the patient rates as an 8 on a scale from
1-10 (10 being the most extreme pain). The prescriber has ordered acetaminophen
[Tylenol] 650 mg PO every 6 hours PRN pain. What will the nurse do? - ANSWER-
Contact the provider to request a different analgesic medication.
A patient newly diagnose with diabetes is to be discharged from the hospital. The
nurse teaching this patient about home management should begin by doing what? -
ANSWER-Asking the patient to demonstrate how to measure and administer insulin.
The nurse receives an order to give morphine 5 mg IV every 2 hours PRN pain.
Which action is not part of the six rights of drug administration? - ANSWER-
Assessing the patient's pain level 15 to 30 minutes after giving the medication.
A patient tells a nurse that a medication prescribed for recurrent migraine headaches
is not working. What will the nurse do? - ANSWER-Ask the patient about the number
and frequency of tablets taken.
A nurse is preparing to administer medications. Which patient would the nurse
consider to have the greatest predisposition to an adverse reaction? - ANSWER-A
30-year-old man with kidney disease.
A nurse consults a drug manual before giving a medication to an 80-year-old patient.
The manual states that older-adult patients are at increased risk for hepatic effects.
Which action by the nurse is correct? - ANSWER-Contact the provider to discuss an
order for pretreatment laboratory work.
A patient has been receiving intravenous penicillin for pneumonia for several days
and begins to complain of generalized itching. The nurse auscultates bilateral
wheezing and notes a temperature of 38.5C (101F). Which is the correct action by
the nurse? - ANSWER-Hold the next dose and notify the prescriber of the symptoms.
A postoperative patient has order for morphine sulfate 1 to 2 mg IV every 1 hour
PRN for severe pain and acetaminophen-hydrocodone [Lortab] 7.5 mg PO every 4 to
6 hours PRN for moderate pain. The patient reports pain at a level of 8 on a scale of
1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain. Which action by the nurse is appropiate? -
, ANSWER-Administer morphine sulfate 2 mg IV and evaluate the patient's pain in 15
to 30 mins.
The nurse is teaching a patient about home administration of insulin to treat diabetes
mellitus. As part of the teaching the patient and nurse identify goals to maintain
specific blood glucose ranges. This represents which aspect of the nursing process?
- ANSWER-Implementing
A nurse is reviewing a patient's medical record before administering a medication.
Which factors can alter the patient's physiologic response to the drug? - ANSWER-
Age
Genetic factors
Gender
A nurse educator is conducting education class on pharmacology. To evaluate the
learning of the nurses in the class, the nurse educator asks, "Which drug name gives
information about the drug's pharmacologic classification?" Which is the correct
response? - ANSWER-Amoxicillin
The FDA Amendments Act (FDAAA) was passed in 2007 to address which aspect of
drug safety? - ANSWER-Evaluating drug safety information that emerges a drug has
been approved and is in use.
A nursing student asks a nurse about pharmaceutical research and wants to know
the purpose of randomization in drug trials. The nurse explains that randomization is
used to do what? - ANSWER-To ensure that differences in outcomes are the results
of treatment and not differences in subjects.
Someone asks a nurse about a new drug that is in preclinical testing and wants to
know why it cannot be used to treat a friend's illness. Which statement by the nurse
is correct? - ANSWER-"At this stage of drug development, the safety and usefulness
of the medication is unknown."
A patient asks a nurse why drugs that have been approved by the FDA still have
unknown side effects. What will the nurse tell the patient? - ANSWER-Subjects in
drug trials do not always represent the full spectrum of possible patients.
A nurse is teaching nursing students about the use of nonproprietary names for
drugs. The nurse tells them which fact about nonproprietary names? - ANSWER-
They are assigned by the U.S. Adopted Names Council.
A patient claims to get better effects with a tablet of brand X than brand Y of the
same drug. Both contain the same amount of the active ingredient. What does the
nurse know to be most likely? - ANSWER-Tablets can differ in composition and can
have differing rates of disintegration and dissolution, which can alter the drug's
effects in the body.
A patient receives a drug that has a narrow therapeutic range. The nurse
administering this medication will expect to do what? - ANSWER-Monitor plasma
drug levels
Questions with Complete Answers
The nurse is preparing to care for a patient who will be taking antihypertensive
medication. Which action by the nurse is part of the assessment step of the nursing
process? - ANSWER-Questioning the patient about over-the-counter medications.
A postoperative patient reports pain, which the patient rates as an 8 on a scale from
1-10 (10 being the most extreme pain). The prescriber has ordered acetaminophen
[Tylenol] 650 mg PO every 6 hours PRN pain. What will the nurse do? - ANSWER-
Contact the provider to request a different analgesic medication.
A patient newly diagnose with diabetes is to be discharged from the hospital. The
nurse teaching this patient about home management should begin by doing what? -
ANSWER-Asking the patient to demonstrate how to measure and administer insulin.
The nurse receives an order to give morphine 5 mg IV every 2 hours PRN pain.
Which action is not part of the six rights of drug administration? - ANSWER-
Assessing the patient's pain level 15 to 30 minutes after giving the medication.
A patient tells a nurse that a medication prescribed for recurrent migraine headaches
is not working. What will the nurse do? - ANSWER-Ask the patient about the number
and frequency of tablets taken.
A nurse is preparing to administer medications. Which patient would the nurse
consider to have the greatest predisposition to an adverse reaction? - ANSWER-A
30-year-old man with kidney disease.
A nurse consults a drug manual before giving a medication to an 80-year-old patient.
The manual states that older-adult patients are at increased risk for hepatic effects.
Which action by the nurse is correct? - ANSWER-Contact the provider to discuss an
order for pretreatment laboratory work.
A patient has been receiving intravenous penicillin for pneumonia for several days
and begins to complain of generalized itching. The nurse auscultates bilateral
wheezing and notes a temperature of 38.5C (101F). Which is the correct action by
the nurse? - ANSWER-Hold the next dose and notify the prescriber of the symptoms.
A postoperative patient has order for morphine sulfate 1 to 2 mg IV every 1 hour
PRN for severe pain and acetaminophen-hydrocodone [Lortab] 7.5 mg PO every 4 to
6 hours PRN for moderate pain. The patient reports pain at a level of 8 on a scale of
1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain. Which action by the nurse is appropiate? -
, ANSWER-Administer morphine sulfate 2 mg IV and evaluate the patient's pain in 15
to 30 mins.
The nurse is teaching a patient about home administration of insulin to treat diabetes
mellitus. As part of the teaching the patient and nurse identify goals to maintain
specific blood glucose ranges. This represents which aspect of the nursing process?
- ANSWER-Implementing
A nurse is reviewing a patient's medical record before administering a medication.
Which factors can alter the patient's physiologic response to the drug? - ANSWER-
Age
Genetic factors
Gender
A nurse educator is conducting education class on pharmacology. To evaluate the
learning of the nurses in the class, the nurse educator asks, "Which drug name gives
information about the drug's pharmacologic classification?" Which is the correct
response? - ANSWER-Amoxicillin
The FDA Amendments Act (FDAAA) was passed in 2007 to address which aspect of
drug safety? - ANSWER-Evaluating drug safety information that emerges a drug has
been approved and is in use.
A nursing student asks a nurse about pharmaceutical research and wants to know
the purpose of randomization in drug trials. The nurse explains that randomization is
used to do what? - ANSWER-To ensure that differences in outcomes are the results
of treatment and not differences in subjects.
Someone asks a nurse about a new drug that is in preclinical testing and wants to
know why it cannot be used to treat a friend's illness. Which statement by the nurse
is correct? - ANSWER-"At this stage of drug development, the safety and usefulness
of the medication is unknown."
A patient asks a nurse why drugs that have been approved by the FDA still have
unknown side effects. What will the nurse tell the patient? - ANSWER-Subjects in
drug trials do not always represent the full spectrum of possible patients.
A nurse is teaching nursing students about the use of nonproprietary names for
drugs. The nurse tells them which fact about nonproprietary names? - ANSWER-
They are assigned by the U.S. Adopted Names Council.
A patient claims to get better effects with a tablet of brand X than brand Y of the
same drug. Both contain the same amount of the active ingredient. What does the
nurse know to be most likely? - ANSWER-Tablets can differ in composition and can
have differing rates of disintegration and dissolution, which can alter the drug's
effects in the body.
A patient receives a drug that has a narrow therapeutic range. The nurse
administering this medication will expect to do what? - ANSWER-Monitor plasma
drug levels
