PN HESI PHARMACOLOGY EXAM 2026 REVIEW TEST BANK 300 Questions with Correct Answers
& Detailed Rationales Evolve HESI PN Pharmacology Review – Complete A+ Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Section | Topic | Questions |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| 1 | Medication Administration & Safety | 1–30 |
| 2 | Cardiovascular Medications | 31–65 |
| 3 | Respiratory Medications | 66–85 |
| 4 | Endocrine & Diabetes Medications | 86–115 |
| 5 | Neurological & Psychiatric Medications | 116–145 |
| 6 | Pain Management & Analgesics | 146–170 |
| 7 | Antibiotics & Anti-Infectives | 171–205 |
| 8 | Gastrointestinal Medications | 206–225 |
| 9 | Diuretics & Renal Medications | 226–250 |
| 10 | Special Populations & Advanced Topics | 251–300 |
---
EXAM OVERVIEW
Exam: PN HESI Pharmacology Exam 2026
Academic Year: 2025/2026
Format: 300 Multiple-Choice Questions
,Question Types: Medication administration, dosage calculations, pharmacology principles,
nursing interventions, adverse effects, drug interactions, patient education, and Next
Generation NCLEX (NGN)-style application questions
Topics Covered: All core domains of practical nursing pharmacology including medication safety,
cardiovascular agents, respiratory medications, endocrine drugs, neurological/psychiatric
agents, pain management, anti-infectives, GI medications, diuretics, and special population
considerations
---
SECTION 1: MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION & SAFETY (Questions 1–30)
---
Question 1
A patient is prescribed a medication that has a high first-pass effect. Which route of
administration would be MOST appropriate to bypass this effect?
A) Oral
B) Sublingual
C) Intramuscular
D) Topical
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The first-pass effect refers to the metabolism of a drug in the liver after oral
absorption, which reduces the amount of active drug reaching systemic circulation. Sublingual
administration bypasses the first-pass effect because the medication is absorbed directly into
the bloodstream through the sublingual mucosa, avoiding the hepatic portal system.
---
,Question 2
What are the "Five Rights" of medication administration?
A) Right Patient, Drug, Dose, Route, Time
B) Right Patient, Dose, Frequency, Route, Documentation
C) Right Drug, Dose, Route, Time, Refill
D) Right Patient, Drug, Dose, Route, Education
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The "Five Rights" (right patient, drug, dose, route, time) are fundamental to
medication safety. Right documentation, indication, and patient education are often considered
additional rights, but the core five are standard on the HESI exam.
---
Question 3
A nurse is preparing to administer medications. Which of the following actions is the highest
priority for the nurse to implement?
A) Check the client's room number
B) Verify the client's insurance information
C) Check the client's name band using two identifiers
D) Ask the client their height and weight
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Patient safety is paramount. The "Rights of Medication Administration" include using
two client identifiers (name and date of birth) to ensure the right patient receives the
medication. Checking a room number is unsafe as clients may change rooms.
, ---
Question 4
A client is ordered to receive an enteric-coated tablet. The client wants to crush the tablet to
make it easier to swallow. What is the nurse's best response?
A) "Crushing it will make it work faster, so that should be fine."
B) "I can crush it and mix it with applesauce for you."
C) "Enteric-coated tablets should not be crushed because they are designed to dissolve in the
intestine, not the stomach."
D) "Let me check with the pharmacist to see if we can cut it in half."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Enteric-coated tablets should not be crushed because the coating is designed to
protect the drug from stomach acid and dissolve in the intestine. Crushing destroys this
protective mechanism and may cause gastric irritation or drug inactivation.
---
Question 5
A client is receiving a transdermal fentanyl patch (Duragesic) for chronic pain. Which instruction
is most important for the nurse to include in the teaching plan?
A) "Apply the patch to a hairy area for better adherence."
B) "If the pain gets worse, apply a second patch."
C) "Rotate application sites to prevent skin irritation and ensure proper absorption."
D) "You can use a heating pad over the patch to increase its effectiveness."
& Detailed Rationales Evolve HESI PN Pharmacology Review – Complete A+ Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Section | Topic | Questions |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| 1 | Medication Administration & Safety | 1–30 |
| 2 | Cardiovascular Medications | 31–65 |
| 3 | Respiratory Medications | 66–85 |
| 4 | Endocrine & Diabetes Medications | 86–115 |
| 5 | Neurological & Psychiatric Medications | 116–145 |
| 6 | Pain Management & Analgesics | 146–170 |
| 7 | Antibiotics & Anti-Infectives | 171–205 |
| 8 | Gastrointestinal Medications | 206–225 |
| 9 | Diuretics & Renal Medications | 226–250 |
| 10 | Special Populations & Advanced Topics | 251–300 |
---
EXAM OVERVIEW
Exam: PN HESI Pharmacology Exam 2026
Academic Year: 2025/2026
Format: 300 Multiple-Choice Questions
,Question Types: Medication administration, dosage calculations, pharmacology principles,
nursing interventions, adverse effects, drug interactions, patient education, and Next
Generation NCLEX (NGN)-style application questions
Topics Covered: All core domains of practical nursing pharmacology including medication safety,
cardiovascular agents, respiratory medications, endocrine drugs, neurological/psychiatric
agents, pain management, anti-infectives, GI medications, diuretics, and special population
considerations
---
SECTION 1: MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION & SAFETY (Questions 1–30)
---
Question 1
A patient is prescribed a medication that has a high first-pass effect. Which route of
administration would be MOST appropriate to bypass this effect?
A) Oral
B) Sublingual
C) Intramuscular
D) Topical
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The first-pass effect refers to the metabolism of a drug in the liver after oral
absorption, which reduces the amount of active drug reaching systemic circulation. Sublingual
administration bypasses the first-pass effect because the medication is absorbed directly into
the bloodstream through the sublingual mucosa, avoiding the hepatic portal system.
---
,Question 2
What are the "Five Rights" of medication administration?
A) Right Patient, Drug, Dose, Route, Time
B) Right Patient, Dose, Frequency, Route, Documentation
C) Right Drug, Dose, Route, Time, Refill
D) Right Patient, Drug, Dose, Route, Education
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The "Five Rights" (right patient, drug, dose, route, time) are fundamental to
medication safety. Right documentation, indication, and patient education are often considered
additional rights, but the core five are standard on the HESI exam.
---
Question 3
A nurse is preparing to administer medications. Which of the following actions is the highest
priority for the nurse to implement?
A) Check the client's room number
B) Verify the client's insurance information
C) Check the client's name band using two identifiers
D) Ask the client their height and weight
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Patient safety is paramount. The "Rights of Medication Administration" include using
two client identifiers (name and date of birth) to ensure the right patient receives the
medication. Checking a room number is unsafe as clients may change rooms.
, ---
Question 4
A client is ordered to receive an enteric-coated tablet. The client wants to crush the tablet to
make it easier to swallow. What is the nurse's best response?
A) "Crushing it will make it work faster, so that should be fine."
B) "I can crush it and mix it with applesauce for you."
C) "Enteric-coated tablets should not be crushed because they are designed to dissolve in the
intestine, not the stomach."
D) "Let me check with the pharmacist to see if we can cut it in half."
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Enteric-coated tablets should not be crushed because the coating is designed to
protect the drug from stomach acid and dissolve in the intestine. Crushing destroys this
protective mechanism and may cause gastric irritation or drug inactivation.
---
Question 5
A client is receiving a transdermal fentanyl patch (Duragesic) for chronic pain. Which instruction
is most important for the nurse to include in the teaching plan?
A) "Apply the patch to a hairy area for better adherence."
B) "If the pain gets worse, apply a second patch."
C) "Rotate application sites to prevent skin irritation and ensure proper absorption."
D) "You can use a heating pad over the patch to increase its effectiveness."
