COMPREHENSIVE NURSING
PHARMACOLOGY COMPREHENSIVE
REVIEW 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS
◉ Toxicity. Answer: Harmful effects of a drug that occur when the drug
accumulates in the body (e.g., due to impaired metabolism/excretion) or
when a large single dose is given. Often dose-related.
◉ Dermatological Reactions. Answer: Skin manifestations of drug
reactions. Can range from mild rashes (e.g., urticaria, maculopapular
rash) to severe, life-threatening conditions like Stevens-Johnson
Syndrome (SJS) or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). Often indicative
of hypersensitivity or direct tissue damage.
◉ Gastrointestinal Irritation. Answer: Common adverse effect,
especially with oral medications. Can include nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, abdominal pain, or even GI bleeding/ulceration. Results from
direct irritation of the GI mucosa (e.g., NSAIDs) or stimulation of the
chemoreceptor trigger zone.
◉ Superinfections. Answer: Secondary infections that occur when the
normal microbial flora of the body is disturbed by antibiotic therapy.
Antibiotics kill not only pathogenic bacteria but also beneficial bacteria,
allowing opportunistic pathogens (e.g., C. difficile, yeast) to proliferate.
Symptoms vary based on location (e.g., oral thrush, vaginal yeast
infection, C. difficile colitis).
,◉ Hypoglycemia. Answer: Abnormally low blood glucose level
(typically below 70 mg/dL). Causes include too much insulin or oral
hypoglycemic agents, inadequate food intake, excessive exercise,
alcohol consumption. Symptoms include shakiness, dizziness, sweating,
hunger, headache, confusion, irritability, rapid heartbeat, blurred vision.
Severe hypoglycemia can lead to unconsciousness, seizures, and brain
damage.
◉ Hyperglycemia. Answer: Abnormally high blood glucose level
(typically above 100-125 mg/dL fasting, or >180 mg/dL postprandial).
Causes include insufficient insulin, excessive carbohydrate intake,
stress, illness, certain medications. Symptoms include polyuria (frequent
urination), polydipsia (excessive thirst), polyphagia (excessive hunger),
fatigue, blurred vision, slow wound healing, recurrent infections.
Chronic hyperglycemia leads to long-term complications of diabetes.
◉ Hypokalemia. Answer: Abnormally low potassium level in the blood
(typically below 3.5 mEq/L). Causes include diuretic use, vomiting,
diarrhea, GI suctioning, certain endocrine disorders. Symptoms include
muscle weakness (especially legs), fatigue, muscle cramps, abnormal
heart rhythms (dysrhythmias), decreased bowel motility (constipation,
ileus). Severe hypokalemia can be life-threatening due to cardiac arrest.
◉ Hyperkalemia. Answer: Abnormally high potassium level in the
blood (typically above 5.0 mEq/L). Causes include kidney failure,
certain medications (e.g., ACE inhibitors, potassium-sparing diuretics),
massive tissue injury, acidosis. Symptoms include muscle weakness,
fatigue, paresthesia's (tingling/numbness), nausea, vomiting, abdominal
, cramping, and most dangerously, cardiac dysrhythmias (e.g., tall peaked
T waves on ECG, progressing to ventricular fibrillation and asystole).
◉ Nurse's Role in Medication Administration. Answer: The nurse's role
includes gathering patient history (allergies, current medications,
medical conditions), assessing physical status (vital signs, labs, relevant
organ function), evaluating patient's knowledge about medications, and
assessing patient's ability to self-administer.
◉ Diagnosis (Nursing Diagnosis). Answer: Formulating diagnoses
related to medication needs (e.g., Knowledge Deficit: Medication
Regimen, Risk for Adverse Drug Reaction, Noncompliance: Medication
Regimen).
◉ Planning. Answer: Setting patient-centered goals (e.g., "Patient will
verbalize purpose and side effects of medication by discharge").
◉ Implementation. Answer: Adhering to the "Rights of Medication
Administration" (right patient, drug, dose, route, time, documentation,
reason, assessment, response, refusal).
◉ Evaluation. Answer: Assessing the patient's response to the
medication (therapeutic effect, side effects).
◉ Responsibilities of the RN. Answer: Assessing learning needs and
readiness.
PHARMACOLOGY COMPREHENSIVE
REVIEW 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS
◉ Toxicity. Answer: Harmful effects of a drug that occur when the drug
accumulates in the body (e.g., due to impaired metabolism/excretion) or
when a large single dose is given. Often dose-related.
◉ Dermatological Reactions. Answer: Skin manifestations of drug
reactions. Can range from mild rashes (e.g., urticaria, maculopapular
rash) to severe, life-threatening conditions like Stevens-Johnson
Syndrome (SJS) or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). Often indicative
of hypersensitivity or direct tissue damage.
◉ Gastrointestinal Irritation. Answer: Common adverse effect,
especially with oral medications. Can include nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, abdominal pain, or even GI bleeding/ulceration. Results from
direct irritation of the GI mucosa (e.g., NSAIDs) or stimulation of the
chemoreceptor trigger zone.
◉ Superinfections. Answer: Secondary infections that occur when the
normal microbial flora of the body is disturbed by antibiotic therapy.
Antibiotics kill not only pathogenic bacteria but also beneficial bacteria,
allowing opportunistic pathogens (e.g., C. difficile, yeast) to proliferate.
Symptoms vary based on location (e.g., oral thrush, vaginal yeast
infection, C. difficile colitis).
,◉ Hypoglycemia. Answer: Abnormally low blood glucose level
(typically below 70 mg/dL). Causes include too much insulin or oral
hypoglycemic agents, inadequate food intake, excessive exercise,
alcohol consumption. Symptoms include shakiness, dizziness, sweating,
hunger, headache, confusion, irritability, rapid heartbeat, blurred vision.
Severe hypoglycemia can lead to unconsciousness, seizures, and brain
damage.
◉ Hyperglycemia. Answer: Abnormally high blood glucose level
(typically above 100-125 mg/dL fasting, or >180 mg/dL postprandial).
Causes include insufficient insulin, excessive carbohydrate intake,
stress, illness, certain medications. Symptoms include polyuria (frequent
urination), polydipsia (excessive thirst), polyphagia (excessive hunger),
fatigue, blurred vision, slow wound healing, recurrent infections.
Chronic hyperglycemia leads to long-term complications of diabetes.
◉ Hypokalemia. Answer: Abnormally low potassium level in the blood
(typically below 3.5 mEq/L). Causes include diuretic use, vomiting,
diarrhea, GI suctioning, certain endocrine disorders. Symptoms include
muscle weakness (especially legs), fatigue, muscle cramps, abnormal
heart rhythms (dysrhythmias), decreased bowel motility (constipation,
ileus). Severe hypokalemia can be life-threatening due to cardiac arrest.
◉ Hyperkalemia. Answer: Abnormally high potassium level in the
blood (typically above 5.0 mEq/L). Causes include kidney failure,
certain medications (e.g., ACE inhibitors, potassium-sparing diuretics),
massive tissue injury, acidosis. Symptoms include muscle weakness,
fatigue, paresthesia's (tingling/numbness), nausea, vomiting, abdominal
, cramping, and most dangerously, cardiac dysrhythmias (e.g., tall peaked
T waves on ECG, progressing to ventricular fibrillation and asystole).
◉ Nurse's Role in Medication Administration. Answer: The nurse's role
includes gathering patient history (allergies, current medications,
medical conditions), assessing physical status (vital signs, labs, relevant
organ function), evaluating patient's knowledge about medications, and
assessing patient's ability to self-administer.
◉ Diagnosis (Nursing Diagnosis). Answer: Formulating diagnoses
related to medication needs (e.g., Knowledge Deficit: Medication
Regimen, Risk for Adverse Drug Reaction, Noncompliance: Medication
Regimen).
◉ Planning. Answer: Setting patient-centered goals (e.g., "Patient will
verbalize purpose and side effects of medication by discharge").
◉ Implementation. Answer: Adhering to the "Rights of Medication
Administration" (right patient, drug, dose, route, time, documentation,
reason, assessment, response, refusal).
◉ Evaluation. Answer: Assessing the patient's response to the
medication (therapeutic effect, side effects).
◉ Responsibilities of the RN. Answer: Assessing learning needs and
readiness.
