Pharmacology GCU NSG 318 Final
Exam – (2026) Actual Questions &
Answers
1. Why can you not give a 5-year-old aspirin?
A child under the age of 19 should not be given aspirin.
2. What does Benadryl treat?
Allergies—sneezing and urticaria.
3. Why should you not take levothyroxine and metformin
with antidiabetics?
You would see an increase in glucagon—the antidiabetics would
be less effective.
4. What is the best way to test a patient's understanding?
Teach back and demonstration.
5. A patient has been prescribed montelukast—what is
important for them to be educated on about this drug?
They should take the medication at the same time every day, even
if their symptoms go away.
6. Which one of these is NOT considered a sign of
hypersensitivity?
Diarrhea.
7. A patient has been taking isoniazid (TB medication) for 3
months. What would be an expected finding?
Negative sputum culture.
,8. A female patient is on antibiotics and is also taking oral
contraception. What is important to educate them about?
Decreased effectiveness of the contraception.
9. Glucocorticoids can cause which reaction with glipizide?
Hyperglycemia.
10. What are some side effects of clomiphene?
Headache, breast discomfort.
11. True or False: All insulin is refrigerated.
False—unopened insulin vials are refrigerated until needed. Once
a vial is opened, it may be kept at room temperature for 1 month.
12. A patient is discharged on a beta blocker. What is
important to educate them about?
Consult the doctor about OTC meds. Stopping it can cause
rebound hypertension.
13. A patient is prescribed an opioid upon discharge. What
education should the nurse provide?
Encourage patient to increase fluid intake and increase
grains/fiber intake to prevent constipation.
14. What is aluminum hydroxide (aluminum-based antacid)
used to treat?
Renal failure/disease.
15. A patient diagnosed with COPD is prescribed Spiriva
(tiotropium). What does this drug do?
It will help the patient breathe better by opening up the
bronchioles. Be cautious of cardiac dysrhythmias.
,16. What is an important nursing intervention for acyclovir?
Increase fluid intake to help prevent phlebitis at the IV site.
17. Which medication is in the cardiac glycoside drug class?
Digoxin.
18. What are the uses of Digoxin?
Used to treat heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
19. What is the therapeutic serum level of digoxin?
0.5 – 1 ng/mL.
20. The nurse is caring for a patient on digoxin therapy. What
are signs of digoxin toxicity?
Green or yellow halos, cardiac dysrhythmias, bradycardia,
vomiting, anorexia, and diarrhea.
21. A patient on digoxin therapy reports having blurred vision
and yellow halos and respirations are 5 per minute. What
action should the nurse take next?
Administer Digoxin Immune Fab.
22. Which CAMs increase the risk of digitalis toxicity?
Ginseng, Licorice, Aloe, and Ephedra.
23. A patient is on antihypertensive therapy and is interested
in CAMs. Which CAMs should the nurse advise her to avoid?
Garlic and Hawthorn.
24. Which medication is in the antianginal drug class?
Nitroglycerin.
25. How should a nurse instruct a patient to take sublingual
nitroglycerin?
, Take 1 dose when chest pain begins. If still having chest pain in 5
minutes, call 911 and then take a 2nd dose. If still having chest
pain in 5 minutes and EMT has not arrived, take a 3rd and FINAL
dose.
26. Why can a patient only have 3 doses of nitroglycerin?
The main side effect is that it decreases BP. With each dose the BP
is decreasing. With multiple doses, you will eventually have no BP.
27. A patient was prescribed a topical/transdermal
nitroglycerin. What should the nurse teach the patient?
The patient needs to be nitrate-free for 8–12 hours to avoid
developing a tolerance.
28. What side effects should a patient look out for while on
nitroglycerin?
Blurred vision, palpitations to compensate for the low BP, and
tolerance.
29. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a maximal
response is called a(n):
Full agonist.
30. The process by which a drug moves from the site of
administration into the bloodstream is called:
Absorption.
31. A drug with a narrow therapeutic index requires:
Therapeutic drug monitoring.
32. Grapefruit juice inhibits CYP3A4. Which drug level would
increase if taken with grapefruit juice?
Simvastatin.
Exam – (2026) Actual Questions &
Answers
1. Why can you not give a 5-year-old aspirin?
A child under the age of 19 should not be given aspirin.
2. What does Benadryl treat?
Allergies—sneezing and urticaria.
3. Why should you not take levothyroxine and metformin
with antidiabetics?
You would see an increase in glucagon—the antidiabetics would
be less effective.
4. What is the best way to test a patient's understanding?
Teach back and demonstration.
5. A patient has been prescribed montelukast—what is
important for them to be educated on about this drug?
They should take the medication at the same time every day, even
if their symptoms go away.
6. Which one of these is NOT considered a sign of
hypersensitivity?
Diarrhea.
7. A patient has been taking isoniazid (TB medication) for 3
months. What would be an expected finding?
Negative sputum culture.
,8. A female patient is on antibiotics and is also taking oral
contraception. What is important to educate them about?
Decreased effectiveness of the contraception.
9. Glucocorticoids can cause which reaction with glipizide?
Hyperglycemia.
10. What are some side effects of clomiphene?
Headache, breast discomfort.
11. True or False: All insulin is refrigerated.
False—unopened insulin vials are refrigerated until needed. Once
a vial is opened, it may be kept at room temperature for 1 month.
12. A patient is discharged on a beta blocker. What is
important to educate them about?
Consult the doctor about OTC meds. Stopping it can cause
rebound hypertension.
13. A patient is prescribed an opioid upon discharge. What
education should the nurse provide?
Encourage patient to increase fluid intake and increase
grains/fiber intake to prevent constipation.
14. What is aluminum hydroxide (aluminum-based antacid)
used to treat?
Renal failure/disease.
15. A patient diagnosed with COPD is prescribed Spiriva
(tiotropium). What does this drug do?
It will help the patient breathe better by opening up the
bronchioles. Be cautious of cardiac dysrhythmias.
,16. What is an important nursing intervention for acyclovir?
Increase fluid intake to help prevent phlebitis at the IV site.
17. Which medication is in the cardiac glycoside drug class?
Digoxin.
18. What are the uses of Digoxin?
Used to treat heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
19. What is the therapeutic serum level of digoxin?
0.5 – 1 ng/mL.
20. The nurse is caring for a patient on digoxin therapy. What
are signs of digoxin toxicity?
Green or yellow halos, cardiac dysrhythmias, bradycardia,
vomiting, anorexia, and diarrhea.
21. A patient on digoxin therapy reports having blurred vision
and yellow halos and respirations are 5 per minute. What
action should the nurse take next?
Administer Digoxin Immune Fab.
22. Which CAMs increase the risk of digitalis toxicity?
Ginseng, Licorice, Aloe, and Ephedra.
23. A patient is on antihypertensive therapy and is interested
in CAMs. Which CAMs should the nurse advise her to avoid?
Garlic and Hawthorn.
24. Which medication is in the antianginal drug class?
Nitroglycerin.
25. How should a nurse instruct a patient to take sublingual
nitroglycerin?
, Take 1 dose when chest pain begins. If still having chest pain in 5
minutes, call 911 and then take a 2nd dose. If still having chest
pain in 5 minutes and EMT has not arrived, take a 3rd and FINAL
dose.
26. Why can a patient only have 3 doses of nitroglycerin?
The main side effect is that it decreases BP. With each dose the BP
is decreasing. With multiple doses, you will eventually have no BP.
27. A patient was prescribed a topical/transdermal
nitroglycerin. What should the nurse teach the patient?
The patient needs to be nitrate-free for 8–12 hours to avoid
developing a tolerance.
28. What side effects should a patient look out for while on
nitroglycerin?
Blurred vision, palpitations to compensate for the low BP, and
tolerance.
29. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a maximal
response is called a(n):
Full agonist.
30. The process by which a drug moves from the site of
administration into the bloodstream is called:
Absorption.
31. A drug with a narrow therapeutic index requires:
Therapeutic drug monitoring.
32. Grapefruit juice inhibits CYP3A4. Which drug level would
increase if taken with grapefruit juice?
Simvastatin.
