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PHARMACOLOGY AND THE NURSING PROCESS, 8TH EDITION
(LILLEY) EXAM LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
EDITION
PHARMACOLOGY AND THE NURSING PROCESS, 8TH EDITION (LILLEY)
EXAMINATION
250 Questions with Rationales
SECTION 1: THE NURSING PROCESS AND DRUG THERAPY (Questions 1-30)
Question 1
The nurse is writing a nursing diagnosis for a plan of care for a patient who has been
newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Which statement reflects the correct format for a
nursing diagnosis?
A) Anxiety
B) Anxiety related to new drug therapy
C) Anxiety related to anxious feelings about drug therapy, as evidenced by statements such as
"I'm upset about having to test my blood sugars."
D) Anxiety related to new drug therapy, as evidenced by statements such as "I'm upset about
having to test my blood sugars."
Rationale: The correct answer is D. Formulation of nursing diagnoses is usually a three-step
process. "Anxiety" is missing the "related to" and "as evidenced by" portions of defining
characteristics. "Anxiety related to new drug therapy" is missing the "as evidenced by"
portion of defining characteristics. The statement beginning "Anxiety related to anxious
feelings" is incorrect because the "related to" section is simply a restatement of the problem
"anxiety," not a separate factor related to the response .
Question 2
The patient is to receive oral guaifenesin (Mucinex) twice a day. Today, the nurse was
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busy and gave the medication 2 hours after the scheduled dose was due. What type of
problem does this represent?
A) "Right time"
B) "Right dose"
C) "Right route"
D) "Right medication"
Rationale: The correct answer is A. "Right time" is correct because the medication was
given more than 30 minutes after the scheduled dose was due. The "rights" of medication
administration include right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time, and right
documentation. When a medication is given at an incorrect time, it violates the "right time"
principle .
Question 3
The nurse has been monitoring the patient's progress on a new drug regimen since the
first dose and documenting the patient's therapeutic response to the medication. Which
phase of the nursing process do these actions illustrate?
A) Nursing diagnosis
B) Planning
C) Implementation
D) Evaluation
Rationale: The correct answer is D. Monitoring the patient's progress, including the patient's
response to the medication, is part of the evaluation phase. The nursing process consists of
assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Evaluation involves
assessing whether the patient's goals and outcomes have been met .
Question 4
The nurse is assigned to a patient who is newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Which statement best illustrates an outcome criterion for this patient?
A) The patient will follow instructions.
B) The patient will not experience complications.
C) The patient will adhere to the new insulin treatment regimen.
D) The patient will demonstrate correct blood glucose testing technique.
Rationale: The correct answer is D. "Demonstrating correct blood glucose testing technique"
is a specific and measurable outcome criterion. "Following instructions" and "not
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experiencing complications" are not specific criteria. "Adhering to new regimen" would be
difficult to measure. Outcome criteria should be measurable, observable, and time-specific .
Question 5
Which activity best reflects the implementation phase of the nursing process for the
patient who is newly diagnosed with hypertension?
A) Providing education on keeping a journal of blood pressure readings
B) Setting goals and outcome criteria with the patient's input
C) Recording a drug history regarding over-the-counter medications used at home
D) Formulating nursing diagnoses regarding deficient knowledge related to the new treatment
regimen
Rationale: The correct answer is A. Education is an intervention that occurs during the
implementation phase. Setting goals and outcomes reflects the planning phase. Recording a
drug history reflects the assessment phase. Formulating nursing diagnoses reflects analysis of
data as part of planning .
Question 6
The medication order reads, "Give ondansetron (Zofran) 4 mg, 30 minutes before
beginning chemotherapy to prevent nausea." The nurse notes that the route is missing
from the order. What is the nurse's best action?
A) Give the medication intravenously because the patient might vomit.
B) Give the medication orally because the tablets are available in 4-mg doses.
C) Contact the prescriber to clarify the route of the medication ordered.
D) Hold the medication until the prescriber returns to make rounds.
Rationale: The correct answer is C. A complete medication order includes the route of
administration. If a medication order does not include the route, the nurse must ask the
prescriber to clarify it. The intravenous and oral routes are not interchangeable. Holding the
medication until the prescriber returns to make rounds could delay necessary treatment .
Question 7
When giving medications, the nurse will follow the rights of medication administration.
The rights include the right documentation, the right reason, the right response, and the
patient's right to refuse. Which of these are additional rights? (Select all that apply.)
A) Right drug
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B) Right route
C) Right dose
D) Right diagnosis
E) Right time
F) Right patient
Rationale: The correct answers are A, B, C, E, and F. Additional rights of medication
administration must always include the right drug, right dose, right time, right route, and right
patient. The right diagnosis is incorrect. The "rights" of medication administration also
include right documentation, right reason, and right response .
Question 8
Place the phases of the nursing process in the correct order, with 1 as the first phase and
5 as the last phase.
A) Evaluation
B) Planning
C) Assessment
D) Implementation
E) Nursing Diagnoses
Rationale: The correct order is C, E, B, D, A. The nursing process is an ongoing process that
begins with assessment and continues with nursing diagnoses, planning, implementation, and
evaluation. This systematic approach ensures comprehensive patient care .
Question 9
The nurse is writing a nursing diagnosis for a patient who is experiencing nausea
related to a new chemotherapy regimen. Which statement reflects the correct format
for a nursing diagnosis?
A) Nausea
B) Nausea related to chemotherapy
C) Nausea related to chemotherapy as evidenced by patient's statement of feeling sick
D) Nausea related to chemotherapy, as evidenced by patient's statement "I feel like I'm going
to throw up"
Rationale: The correct answer is D. A nursing diagnosis has three parts: the problem, the
etiology (related to), and the signs and symptoms (as evidenced by). This format provides a
PHARMACOLOGY AND THE NURSING PROCESS, 8TH EDITION
(LILLEY) EXAM LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026
EDITION
PHARMACOLOGY AND THE NURSING PROCESS, 8TH EDITION (LILLEY)
EXAMINATION
250 Questions with Rationales
SECTION 1: THE NURSING PROCESS AND DRUG THERAPY (Questions 1-30)
Question 1
The nurse is writing a nursing diagnosis for a plan of care for a patient who has been
newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Which statement reflects the correct format for a
nursing diagnosis?
A) Anxiety
B) Anxiety related to new drug therapy
C) Anxiety related to anxious feelings about drug therapy, as evidenced by statements such as
"I'm upset about having to test my blood sugars."
D) Anxiety related to new drug therapy, as evidenced by statements such as "I'm upset about
having to test my blood sugars."
Rationale: The correct answer is D. Formulation of nursing diagnoses is usually a three-step
process. "Anxiety" is missing the "related to" and "as evidenced by" portions of defining
characteristics. "Anxiety related to new drug therapy" is missing the "as evidenced by"
portion of defining characteristics. The statement beginning "Anxiety related to anxious
feelings" is incorrect because the "related to" section is simply a restatement of the problem
"anxiety," not a separate factor related to the response .
Question 2
The patient is to receive oral guaifenesin (Mucinex) twice a day. Today, the nurse was
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busy and gave the medication 2 hours after the scheduled dose was due. What type of
problem does this represent?
A) "Right time"
B) "Right dose"
C) "Right route"
D) "Right medication"
Rationale: The correct answer is A. "Right time" is correct because the medication was
given more than 30 minutes after the scheduled dose was due. The "rights" of medication
administration include right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time, and right
documentation. When a medication is given at an incorrect time, it violates the "right time"
principle .
Question 3
The nurse has been monitoring the patient's progress on a new drug regimen since the
first dose and documenting the patient's therapeutic response to the medication. Which
phase of the nursing process do these actions illustrate?
A) Nursing diagnosis
B) Planning
C) Implementation
D) Evaluation
Rationale: The correct answer is D. Monitoring the patient's progress, including the patient's
response to the medication, is part of the evaluation phase. The nursing process consists of
assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Evaluation involves
assessing whether the patient's goals and outcomes have been met .
Question 4
The nurse is assigned to a patient who is newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Which statement best illustrates an outcome criterion for this patient?
A) The patient will follow instructions.
B) The patient will not experience complications.
C) The patient will adhere to the new insulin treatment regimen.
D) The patient will demonstrate correct blood glucose testing technique.
Rationale: The correct answer is D. "Demonstrating correct blood glucose testing technique"
is a specific and measurable outcome criterion. "Following instructions" and "not
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experiencing complications" are not specific criteria. "Adhering to new regimen" would be
difficult to measure. Outcome criteria should be measurable, observable, and time-specific .
Question 5
Which activity best reflects the implementation phase of the nursing process for the
patient who is newly diagnosed with hypertension?
A) Providing education on keeping a journal of blood pressure readings
B) Setting goals and outcome criteria with the patient's input
C) Recording a drug history regarding over-the-counter medications used at home
D) Formulating nursing diagnoses regarding deficient knowledge related to the new treatment
regimen
Rationale: The correct answer is A. Education is an intervention that occurs during the
implementation phase. Setting goals and outcomes reflects the planning phase. Recording a
drug history reflects the assessment phase. Formulating nursing diagnoses reflects analysis of
data as part of planning .
Question 6
The medication order reads, "Give ondansetron (Zofran) 4 mg, 30 minutes before
beginning chemotherapy to prevent nausea." The nurse notes that the route is missing
from the order. What is the nurse's best action?
A) Give the medication intravenously because the patient might vomit.
B) Give the medication orally because the tablets are available in 4-mg doses.
C) Contact the prescriber to clarify the route of the medication ordered.
D) Hold the medication until the prescriber returns to make rounds.
Rationale: The correct answer is C. A complete medication order includes the route of
administration. If a medication order does not include the route, the nurse must ask the
prescriber to clarify it. The intravenous and oral routes are not interchangeable. Holding the
medication until the prescriber returns to make rounds could delay necessary treatment .
Question 7
When giving medications, the nurse will follow the rights of medication administration.
The rights include the right documentation, the right reason, the right response, and the
patient's right to refuse. Which of these are additional rights? (Select all that apply.)
A) Right drug
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B) Right route
C) Right dose
D) Right diagnosis
E) Right time
F) Right patient
Rationale: The correct answers are A, B, C, E, and F. Additional rights of medication
administration must always include the right drug, right dose, right time, right route, and right
patient. The right diagnosis is incorrect. The "rights" of medication administration also
include right documentation, right reason, and right response .
Question 8
Place the phases of the nursing process in the correct order, with 1 as the first phase and
5 as the last phase.
A) Evaluation
B) Planning
C) Assessment
D) Implementation
E) Nursing Diagnoses
Rationale: The correct order is C, E, B, D, A. The nursing process is an ongoing process that
begins with assessment and continues with nursing diagnoses, planning, implementation, and
evaluation. This systematic approach ensures comprehensive patient care .
Question 9
The nurse is writing a nursing diagnosis for a patient who is experiencing nausea
related to a new chemotherapy regimen. Which statement reflects the correct format
for a nursing diagnosis?
A) Nausea
B) Nausea related to chemotherapy
C) Nausea related to chemotherapy as evidenced by patient's statement of feeling sick
D) Nausea related to chemotherapy, as evidenced by patient's statement "I feel like I'm going
to throw up"
Rationale: The correct answer is D. A nursing diagnosis has three parts: the problem, the
etiology (related to), and the signs and symptoms (as evidenced by). This format provides a
