ATI PN Pharmacology Exam 2026/2027 –
NGN Test Bank Questions with Verified
Answers and Rationales
1. Which of the following are considered patient identifiers? (Select all that
apply)
A. Room number
B. Medical record number
C. Bed location
D. Home telephone number
Correct Answer:✓✓B and D
Rationale:✓ Patient identifiers must be unique and consistent; medical record
number and home telephone number (or date of birth) are acceptable. Room and
bed numbers change and are not reliable identifiers.
2. A nurse is caring for a patient with chronic renal failure. Which lab values
should be monitored? (Select all that apply)
A. Urinalysis (hematuria, proteinuria)
B. Serum creatinine
C. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
D. Serum electrolytes
E. Complete blood count (CBC)
All of the above
Correct Answer:✓✓A, B, C, D, E
Rationale:✓ Chronic renal failure affects glomerular filtration, leading to
abnormal urinalysis, elevated creatinine and BUN, electrolyte imbalances
(hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia), and anemia (decreased
hemoglobin).
3. A patient is prescribed furosemide (Lasix). Which food should the nurse
encourage the patient to increase?
,A. Bananas
B. White bread
C. Processed cheese
D. Canned soup
Correct Answer:✓✓A
Rationale:✓ Furosemide is a loop diuretic that causes potassium wasting.
Bananas, prunes, raisins, and orange juice are potassium-rich foods.
4. A patient reports discomfort at the IV site. What is the nurse’s first action?
A. Stop the infusion
B. Apply a warm compress
C. Assess the color and temperature of the site
D. Notify the healthcare provider
Correct Answer:✓✓C
Rationale:✓ The nurse must first assess for signs of infiltration or phlebitis (color,
temperature, swelling) before taking further action.
5. A patient is receiving sumatriptan for migraine headaches. Which adverse
effect should the nurse monitor for?
A. Hypotension
B. Pain, tightness, or pressure in the chest, throat, neck, or jaw
C. Diarrhea
D. Hyperglycemia
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Sumatriptan can cause coronary vasospasm; chest/throat/jaw
tightness or pressure may indicate myocardial ischemia. Slow or difficult speech
may also occur.
6. A nurse is teaching a patient about the use of a nitroglycerin transdermal
patch. Which instruction is correct?
A. Apply a new patch every 8 hours
B. Keep the patch on for 12–14 hours each day, then remove for 10–12 hours
C. Cut the patch in half for a lower dose
,D. Apply the patch on a hairy area for better adhesion
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ To prevent tolerance, nitroglycerin patches are applied in the
morning and removed at night for a medication-free interval of 10–12 hours.
Patches should not be cut.
7. A patient is prescribed lisinopril. Which therapeutic effect is expected?
A. Increased heart rate
B. Blood pressure 120/80 mm Hg
C. Decreased urine output
D. Elevated potassium
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor used to lower blood pressure; a normal
BP reading indicates therapeutic effect.
8. A patient with schizophrenia is prescribed risperidone (Risperdal). This
medication belongs to which class?
A. Typical antipsychotic
B. Atypical antipsychotic
C. Tricyclic antidepressant
D. Benzodiazepine
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Risperidone is an atypical (second-generation) antipsychotic used for
schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
9. A nurse is administering filgrastim (Neupogen). Which route is
appropriate?
A. Oral
B. Intramuscular
C. Subcutaneous injection or IV infusion
D. Topical
Correct Answer:✓✓C
, Rationale:✓ Filgrastim (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) is given
subcutaneously or by IV infusion to increase neutrophil production.
10. A patient is prescribed alendronate (Fosamax). This medication is used to
treat:
A. Hypercalcemia
B. Osteoporosis
C. Paget’s disease (also correct but osteoporosis is most common)
D. Rheumatoid arthritis
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Alendronate is a bisphosphonate indicated for osteoporosis in men
and postmenopausal women, as well as Paget’s disease.
11. A patient taking atorvastatin (Lipitor) asks how the medication works.
The nurse explains that it:
A. Increases HDL and lowers LDL
B. Lowers LDL and total cholesterol, and raises HDL
C. Only lowers triglycerides
D. Increases LDL
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Atorvastatin (a statin) inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, reducing LDL
and total cholesterol while modestly increasing HDL.
12. Garamycin (gentamicin) is an aminoglycoside antibiotic. Which adverse
effect is most concerning?
A. Diarrhea
B. Nephrotoxicity
C. Rash
D. Headache
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Aminoglycosides are known for nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity; renal
function must be monitored.
NGN Test Bank Questions with Verified
Answers and Rationales
1. Which of the following are considered patient identifiers? (Select all that
apply)
A. Room number
B. Medical record number
C. Bed location
D. Home telephone number
Correct Answer:✓✓B and D
Rationale:✓ Patient identifiers must be unique and consistent; medical record
number and home telephone number (or date of birth) are acceptable. Room and
bed numbers change and are not reliable identifiers.
2. A nurse is caring for a patient with chronic renal failure. Which lab values
should be monitored? (Select all that apply)
A. Urinalysis (hematuria, proteinuria)
B. Serum creatinine
C. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
D. Serum electrolytes
E. Complete blood count (CBC)
All of the above
Correct Answer:✓✓A, B, C, D, E
Rationale:✓ Chronic renal failure affects glomerular filtration, leading to
abnormal urinalysis, elevated creatinine and BUN, electrolyte imbalances
(hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia), and anemia (decreased
hemoglobin).
3. A patient is prescribed furosemide (Lasix). Which food should the nurse
encourage the patient to increase?
,A. Bananas
B. White bread
C. Processed cheese
D. Canned soup
Correct Answer:✓✓A
Rationale:✓ Furosemide is a loop diuretic that causes potassium wasting.
Bananas, prunes, raisins, and orange juice are potassium-rich foods.
4. A patient reports discomfort at the IV site. What is the nurse’s first action?
A. Stop the infusion
B. Apply a warm compress
C. Assess the color and temperature of the site
D. Notify the healthcare provider
Correct Answer:✓✓C
Rationale:✓ The nurse must first assess for signs of infiltration or phlebitis (color,
temperature, swelling) before taking further action.
5. A patient is receiving sumatriptan for migraine headaches. Which adverse
effect should the nurse monitor for?
A. Hypotension
B. Pain, tightness, or pressure in the chest, throat, neck, or jaw
C. Diarrhea
D. Hyperglycemia
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Sumatriptan can cause coronary vasospasm; chest/throat/jaw
tightness or pressure may indicate myocardial ischemia. Slow or difficult speech
may also occur.
6. A nurse is teaching a patient about the use of a nitroglycerin transdermal
patch. Which instruction is correct?
A. Apply a new patch every 8 hours
B. Keep the patch on for 12–14 hours each day, then remove for 10–12 hours
C. Cut the patch in half for a lower dose
,D. Apply the patch on a hairy area for better adhesion
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ To prevent tolerance, nitroglycerin patches are applied in the
morning and removed at night for a medication-free interval of 10–12 hours.
Patches should not be cut.
7. A patient is prescribed lisinopril. Which therapeutic effect is expected?
A. Increased heart rate
B. Blood pressure 120/80 mm Hg
C. Decreased urine output
D. Elevated potassium
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor used to lower blood pressure; a normal
BP reading indicates therapeutic effect.
8. A patient with schizophrenia is prescribed risperidone (Risperdal). This
medication belongs to which class?
A. Typical antipsychotic
B. Atypical antipsychotic
C. Tricyclic antidepressant
D. Benzodiazepine
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Risperidone is an atypical (second-generation) antipsychotic used for
schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
9. A nurse is administering filgrastim (Neupogen). Which route is
appropriate?
A. Oral
B. Intramuscular
C. Subcutaneous injection or IV infusion
D. Topical
Correct Answer:✓✓C
, Rationale:✓ Filgrastim (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) is given
subcutaneously or by IV infusion to increase neutrophil production.
10. A patient is prescribed alendronate (Fosamax). This medication is used to
treat:
A. Hypercalcemia
B. Osteoporosis
C. Paget’s disease (also correct but osteoporosis is most common)
D. Rheumatoid arthritis
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Alendronate is a bisphosphonate indicated for osteoporosis in men
and postmenopausal women, as well as Paget’s disease.
11. A patient taking atorvastatin (Lipitor) asks how the medication works.
The nurse explains that it:
A. Increases HDL and lowers LDL
B. Lowers LDL and total cholesterol, and raises HDL
C. Only lowers triglycerides
D. Increases LDL
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Atorvastatin (a statin) inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, reducing LDL
and total cholesterol while modestly increasing HDL.
12. Garamycin (gentamicin) is an aminoglycoside antibiotic. Which adverse
effect is most concerning?
A. Diarrhea
B. Nephrotoxicity
C. Rash
D. Headache
Correct Answer:✓✓B
Rationale:✓ Aminoglycosides are known for nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity; renal
function must be monitored.
