HESI Pharmacology Practice Test (2026)
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Questions with 100% Correct Answers
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The ]nurse ]reviews ]the ]new ]prescription, ]phenelzine ](Nardi), ]a ]monoamine ]oxidase ]inhibitor ]
(MAOI), ]for ]a ]client ]with ]depression ]on ]the ]psychiatric ]unit. ]Which ]information ]is ]most ]importan
t ]for ]the ]nurse ]to ]assess?
A. ]Consumption ]of ]any ]alcohol ]or ]tyramine ]rich ]foods
B. ]Reports ]of ]nausea ]or ]vomiting
C. ]Therapeutic ]serum ]drug ]levels
D. ]Blood ]pressure ]and ]pulse ]prior ]to ]taking ]each ]dose ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
The ]nurse ]is ]administering ]haloperidol ]0.5 ]mg ]IM ]PRN ]to ]a ]client ]for ]the ]first ]time. ]What ]side ]eff
ects ]should ]the ]nurse ]assess ]thr ]client ]during ]the ]initial ]dose?
A. ]Bradykinesia
B. ]Dystonia
C. ]Somatization
D. ]Akathisia ]- ]correct ]answer: ]B
While ]reviewing ]the ]client's ]electronic ]medical ]record ]
(EMR), ]the ]nurse ]assesses ]a ]client ]who ]is ]at ]risk ]for ]a ]possible ]interaction ]with ]an ]over-the-
counter ]
(OTC) ]decongestant. ]Which ]client ]health ]history ]should ]the ]nurse ]report ]to ]the ]health ]care ]provi
der ]concerning ]the ]OTC ]medication? ](Select ]all ]that ]apply)
A. ]Type ]1 ]diabetes ]mellitus ](DM)
,B. ]Closed ]angle ]glaucome
C. ]Chronic ]hypertension
D. ]Rheumatoid ]arthritis
E. ]Crohn's ]disease ]- ]correct ]answer: ]B,C
A ]client ]prescribed ]ipratropium ]reports ]nausea, ]blurred ]vision, ]headaches, ]and ]insomnia ]after ]us
ing ]the ]inhaler. ]Which ]action ]should ]the ]nurse ]implement ]first?
A. ]Withhold ]the ]medication ]and ]report ]symptoms ]and ]vital ]signs ]to ]the ]healthcare ]provider
B. ]Give ]PRN ]medication ]for ]nausea ]and ]vomiting ]and ]evaluate ]client ]in ]30 ]minutes
C. ]reassure ]client ]that ]the ]ipratropium ]given ]will ]alleviate ]the ]symptoms
D. ]Delay ]administration ]of ]ipratropium ]until ]the ]next ]maintenance ]medication ]is ]scheduled ]- ]cor
rect ]answer: ]A
A ]client ]diagnosed ]with ]multiple ]sclerosis ]is ]experiencing ]profound ]weakness, ]blurry ]vision, ]and ]
shooting ]pains ]in ]both ]legs. ]Which ]medication ]is ]considered ]the ]best ]course ]of ]treatment ]for ]the
]nurse ]to ]administer?
A. ]High ]dose ]methylprednisolone ]intravenously
B. ]Baclofen ]three ]times ]a ]day
C. ]Broad ]spectrum ]antibiotic ]coverage ]orally
D. ]Immunomodulatory ]drug ]therapy ]periodically ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
The ]nurse ]administers ]30 ]mL ]of ]lactulose ]for ]a ]client ]with ]stage ]2 ]hepatic ]encephalopathy. ]Whic
h ]assessment ]finding ]would ]indicate ]the ]medication ]is ]being ]therapeutic?
A. ]A ]decrease ]in ]blood ]ammonia ]levels
B. ]A ]softening ]in ]the ]stools
, C. ]An ]increase ]in ]glucose ]absorption
D. ]A ]suppression ]of ]gut ]acidification ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
The ]nurse ]is ]teaching ]a ]client ]who ]is ]newly ]diagnosed ]with ]type ]1 ]diabetes ]about ]neutral ]protam
ine ]Hagedor ]
(NPH) ]insulin. ]Which ]statement ]by ]the ]client ]indicates ]an ]understanding ]of ]how ]the ]medication ]
works?
A. ]It ]facilitates ]the ]transport ]of ]glucose ]into ]the ]cells
B. ]It ]stimulates ]the ]function ]of ]beta ]cells ]in ]the ]pancreas
C. ]It ]increases ]the ]intracellular ]receptor ]site ]sensitivity
D. ]It ]delays ]the ]carbohydrate ]digestion ]and ]absorption ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
The ]nurse ]should ]withhold ]which ]medication ]if ]a ]client ]reports ]nausea, ]vomiting, ]and ]diarrhea?
A. ]Colchicine ](Mitigare, ]Colcrys)
B. ]Erythromycin ](E-mycin)
C. ]Naproxen ](Aleve, ]Naprosyn)
D. ]Labetolol ](Normodyne) ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
A ]client ]newly ]prescribed ]esomeprazole ]for ]gastroesophageal ]reflux ]disease ]
(GERD) ]asks ]the ]nurse ]how ]the ]medication ]will ]help. ]Which ]is ]the ]best ]explanation ]to ]provide ]th
e ]client?
A. ]It ]will ]promote ]rapid ]tissue ]healing
B. ]It ]will ]increase ]gastric ]emptying
C. ]It ]will ]improve ]esophageal ]peristalsis
D. ]It ]will ]neutralize ]gastric ]secretions ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
] ] ] ]
Questions with 100% Correct Answers
] ] ] ] ]
The ]nurse ]reviews ]the ]new ]prescription, ]phenelzine ](Nardi), ]a ]monoamine ]oxidase ]inhibitor ]
(MAOI), ]for ]a ]client ]with ]depression ]on ]the ]psychiatric ]unit. ]Which ]information ]is ]most ]importan
t ]for ]the ]nurse ]to ]assess?
A. ]Consumption ]of ]any ]alcohol ]or ]tyramine ]rich ]foods
B. ]Reports ]of ]nausea ]or ]vomiting
C. ]Therapeutic ]serum ]drug ]levels
D. ]Blood ]pressure ]and ]pulse ]prior ]to ]taking ]each ]dose ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
The ]nurse ]is ]administering ]haloperidol ]0.5 ]mg ]IM ]PRN ]to ]a ]client ]for ]the ]first ]time. ]What ]side ]eff
ects ]should ]the ]nurse ]assess ]thr ]client ]during ]the ]initial ]dose?
A. ]Bradykinesia
B. ]Dystonia
C. ]Somatization
D. ]Akathisia ]- ]correct ]answer: ]B
While ]reviewing ]the ]client's ]electronic ]medical ]record ]
(EMR), ]the ]nurse ]assesses ]a ]client ]who ]is ]at ]risk ]for ]a ]possible ]interaction ]with ]an ]over-the-
counter ]
(OTC) ]decongestant. ]Which ]client ]health ]history ]should ]the ]nurse ]report ]to ]the ]health ]care ]provi
der ]concerning ]the ]OTC ]medication? ](Select ]all ]that ]apply)
A. ]Type ]1 ]diabetes ]mellitus ](DM)
,B. ]Closed ]angle ]glaucome
C. ]Chronic ]hypertension
D. ]Rheumatoid ]arthritis
E. ]Crohn's ]disease ]- ]correct ]answer: ]B,C
A ]client ]prescribed ]ipratropium ]reports ]nausea, ]blurred ]vision, ]headaches, ]and ]insomnia ]after ]us
ing ]the ]inhaler. ]Which ]action ]should ]the ]nurse ]implement ]first?
A. ]Withhold ]the ]medication ]and ]report ]symptoms ]and ]vital ]signs ]to ]the ]healthcare ]provider
B. ]Give ]PRN ]medication ]for ]nausea ]and ]vomiting ]and ]evaluate ]client ]in ]30 ]minutes
C. ]reassure ]client ]that ]the ]ipratropium ]given ]will ]alleviate ]the ]symptoms
D. ]Delay ]administration ]of ]ipratropium ]until ]the ]next ]maintenance ]medication ]is ]scheduled ]- ]cor
rect ]answer: ]A
A ]client ]diagnosed ]with ]multiple ]sclerosis ]is ]experiencing ]profound ]weakness, ]blurry ]vision, ]and ]
shooting ]pains ]in ]both ]legs. ]Which ]medication ]is ]considered ]the ]best ]course ]of ]treatment ]for ]the
]nurse ]to ]administer?
A. ]High ]dose ]methylprednisolone ]intravenously
B. ]Baclofen ]three ]times ]a ]day
C. ]Broad ]spectrum ]antibiotic ]coverage ]orally
D. ]Immunomodulatory ]drug ]therapy ]periodically ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
The ]nurse ]administers ]30 ]mL ]of ]lactulose ]for ]a ]client ]with ]stage ]2 ]hepatic ]encephalopathy. ]Whic
h ]assessment ]finding ]would ]indicate ]the ]medication ]is ]being ]therapeutic?
A. ]A ]decrease ]in ]blood ]ammonia ]levels
B. ]A ]softening ]in ]the ]stools
, C. ]An ]increase ]in ]glucose ]absorption
D. ]A ]suppression ]of ]gut ]acidification ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
The ]nurse ]is ]teaching ]a ]client ]who ]is ]newly ]diagnosed ]with ]type ]1 ]diabetes ]about ]neutral ]protam
ine ]Hagedor ]
(NPH) ]insulin. ]Which ]statement ]by ]the ]client ]indicates ]an ]understanding ]of ]how ]the ]medication ]
works?
A. ]It ]facilitates ]the ]transport ]of ]glucose ]into ]the ]cells
B. ]It ]stimulates ]the ]function ]of ]beta ]cells ]in ]the ]pancreas
C. ]It ]increases ]the ]intracellular ]receptor ]site ]sensitivity
D. ]It ]delays ]the ]carbohydrate ]digestion ]and ]absorption ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
The ]nurse ]should ]withhold ]which ]medication ]if ]a ]client ]reports ]nausea, ]vomiting, ]and ]diarrhea?
A. ]Colchicine ](Mitigare, ]Colcrys)
B. ]Erythromycin ](E-mycin)
C. ]Naproxen ](Aleve, ]Naprosyn)
D. ]Labetolol ](Normodyne) ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
A ]client ]newly ]prescribed ]esomeprazole ]for ]gastroesophageal ]reflux ]disease ]
(GERD) ]asks ]the ]nurse ]how ]the ]medication ]will ]help. ]Which ]is ]the ]best ]explanation ]to ]provide ]th
e ]client?
A. ]It ]will ]promote ]rapid ]tissue ]healing
B. ]It ]will ]increase ]gastric ]emptying
C. ]It ]will ]improve ]esophageal ]peristalsis
D. ]It ]will ]neutralize ]gastric ]secretions ]- ]correct ]answer: ]A
