WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS AND
RATIONALES LATEST UPDATE
2026\2027
Question 1
A patient is prescribed an oral medication that undergoes extensive first-pass
metabolism. The provider changes the route to intravenous. What is the expected
outcome?
A. The medication will have a slower onset of action.
B. The medication will require a higher dose.
C. The medication will have higher bioavailability.
D. The medication will be excreted more rapidly.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The first-pass effect occurs when oral medications are absorbed from
the GI tract and transported to the liver via the portal vein, where a significant
portion is metabolized before reaching systemic circulation. Changing to IV
administration bypasses the GI tract and initial hepatic metabolism, resulting in
higher bioavailability and faster onset.
---
1
,Question 2
Which term best describes "what the body does to the drug"?
A. Pharmacodynamics
B. Pharmacotherapeutics
C. Pharmacokinetics
D. Toxicology
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug movement through the body,
encompassing absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME).
Pharmacodynamics is "what the drug does to the body".
---
Question 3
What are the four phases of pharmacokinetics?
A. Absorption, digestion, metabolism, excretion
B. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
C. Administration, distribution, metabolism, elimination
D. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The four phases of pharmacokinetics are absorption (movement into
bloodstream), distribution (movement to tissues), metabolism (biotransformation),
and excretion (elimination from the body). This is remembered by the acronym
ADME.
2
,---
Question 4
A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a response is called a(n):
A. Antagonist
B. Agonist
C. Partial agonist
D. Competitive antagonist
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: An agonist activates a receptor and produces a biological response. An
antagonist blocks the receptor and produces no response.
---
Question 5
The nurse understands that the pharmaceutic phase of drug action involves:
A. Absorption of the drug into the bloodstream
B. Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
C. Distribution of the drug to target tissues
D. Excretion of the drug via the kidneys
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The pharmaceutic phase is the first phase, where the solid drug
dissolves into a liquid so it can be absorbed. Most oral absorption occurs in the
small intestine.
3
, ---
Question 6
A medication given by which route has 100% bioavailability?
A. Oral
B. Sublingual
C. Intravenous
D. Intramuscular
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Intravenous administration places the drug directly into the
bloodstream, bypassing absorption and first-pass metabolism, resulting in 100%
bioavailability.
---
Question 7
Which organ is primarily responsible for drug metabolism?
A. Kidneys
B. Liver
C. Lungs
D. Pancreas
Correct Answer: B
4