FOCUS ON NURSING PHARMACOLOGY

1. A patient is admitted to the emergency department with severe recurrent convulsive seizures. What drug would the nurse expect to be ordered for use in emergency control of status epilepticus? a. Phenytoin (Dilantin) b. Diazepam (Valium) c. Phenobarbital (Luminal) d. Ethosuximide (Zarontin) Ans: C Feedback: Phenobarbital is used for emergency control of status epilepticus. This barbiturate inhibits impulse conduction in the ascending reticular activating system (RAS), depresses the ce...

1. The mental health nursing instructor is talking with the class about depression. What deficiency does the instructor explain will result in depression? a. Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine b. Norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin c. Acetylcholine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and serotonin d. Gamma-aminobutyric acid, dopamine, and epinephrine Ans: B Feedback: A current hypothesis regarding the cause of depression is a deficiency of norepinephrine, dopamine, or serotonin, w...

1. What part of the neuron carries information into the neuron from other neurons? a. Axon b. Dendrite c. Nucleus d. Soma Ans: B Feedback: Dendrites carry information to the nerve and axons; they also carry information from a nerve to be transmitted to effector cells, which are found in muscles, glands, or another nerve. Soma refers to the cell body. The nucleus is the central part of a cell, which is responsible for the cell’s growth, reproduction, and metabolism. 2. When a neuro...

1. The nurse is caring for a patient in a state of hypnosis, which means the patient is in what state? a. A state of extreme sedation in which the person no longer senses or reacts to incoming stimuli. b. A state of tranquility in which the person can be made to do whatever is suggested by others. c. A feeling of tension, nervousness, apprehension, or fear with high levels of awareness. d. A state in which the brain is no longer sending out signals to the body. Ans: A Feedback: Hypnosis...

1. The nursing instructor is discussing immunity with her clinical group. What statement would the instructor make that would be accurate about immunity? a. Active immunity occurs with injected antibodies that react with specific antigens. b. Serum sickness results when the body fights antibodies injected as a form of active immunity. c. Passive immunity occurs when foreign proteins are recognized and the body produces antibodies. d. Passive immunity is limited, lasting only as long as the a...

1. A nurse has admitted a 10-year-old child to the short-stay unit. The child has complained of chronic headaches and his or her mother reports that he or she gives him or her acetaminophen (Tylenol) at least twice a day. What will the nurse evaluate? a. Renal function b. Hepatic function c. Respiratory function d. Cardiac function Ans: B Feedback: The nurse should evaluate the patient’s hepatic function. Severe hepatotoxicity can occur from overuse of acetaminophen. Significant inter...

1. A patient has been diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia. The patient is to begin taking interferon alfa 2b. What will the nurse include in her instructions to the patient concerning this drug? a. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking the drug. b. Continue to maintain maximal physical activity. c. Increase fluid intake while taking the drug. d. Treat constipation with over-the-counter laxatives. Ans: C Feedback: Interferon alfa 2b is metabolized in the kidney so adequate fluid intake is ...

1. The body’s first-line barrier defense is considered to be what? a. Mast cells b. Mucous membranes c. Skin d. T cells Ans: C Feedback: The skin is the first line of barrier defense. It acts as a physical barrier to protect the internal tissues and organs of the body. Mast cells are part of cellular defense. They are found in the respiratory and GI tracts and are fixed basophils that do not circulate. Mucous membranes are a barrier defense that line the areas of the body that are exp...

1. A public health nurse is speaking to parents of first graders. When discussing worm infection, the nurse will explain that the most common type found in U.S. school-aged children is what? a. Pinworms b. Roundworms c. Threadworms d. Whipworms Ans: A Feedback: The most common worm infection encountered in U.S. school-aged children is pinworms. These worms are endogenous to the area and easily spread. Roundworms, whipworms, and threadworms are not as common. 2. A mother of a 3-year-o...

1. The process of cancerous cells exhibiting a loss of cellular differentiation and organization leading to a loss of their ability to function normally is called what? a. Anaplasia b. Angiogenesis c. Autonomy d. Metastasis Ans: A Feedback: Cancerous cells exhibit anaplasia, which is a loss of cellular differentiation and organization that leads to a loss of their ability to function normally. Angiogenesis refers to the abnormal cells releasing enzymes that generate blood vessels in the...