NURS 170 Pharmacology Test 1 Actual Exam
2026/2027 – Complete Exam-Style Questions
with Detailed Rationales | 100% Verified | Pass
Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Section A: Introduction to Pharmacology — Drug Classifications,
Nomenclature, & Sources (6 Questions)
Q1: A nurse is reviewing a medication order for "lisinopril (Prinivil) 10 mg PO daily."
Which name in this order represents the nonproprietary, universally recognized identifier
for this drug?
A. Prinivil
B. Lisinopril [CORRECT]
C. 10 mg
D. PO
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The generic (nonproprietary) name is lisinopril; Prinivil is the brand/trade
name, 10 mg is the dose, and PO indicates the route of administration.
Q2: A pharmacology instructor explains that a drug is classified therapeutically as an
antihypertensive and pharmacologically as an ACE inhibitor. Which statement best
explains the difference between these two classification systems?
A. Therapeutic classification describes the drug's mechanism of action, while
pharmacologic classification describes its clinical use.
B. Therapeutic classification describes the drug's clinical use or indication, while
pharmacologic classification describes its mechanism of action [CORRECT]
C. Both systems describe identical characteristics using different terminology.
D. Therapeutic classification is assigned by the manufacturer, while pharmacologic
classification is assigned by the patient.
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: Therapeutic classification groups drugs by the condition they treat (e.g.,
antihypertensive), whereas pharmacologic classification groups drugs by their
mechanism of action or chemical effect (e.g., ACE inhibitor).
Q3: A nursing student is studying drug sources and learns that insulin is produced by
inserting recombinant DNA into bacterial cells. Which source category does this
represent?
A. Natural plant source
B. Natural mineral source
C. Biotechnology/synthetic source [CORRECT]
D. Animal extraction source
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Recombinant DNA technology using bacterial or yeast cells to produce
therapeutic proteins such as insulin is classified as biotechnology; this is distinct from
direct extraction from animal, plant, or mineral sources.
Q4: A new investigational drug has completed testing in healthy volunteers to determine
safe dosage ranges and pharmacokinetic profiles. Which phase of the FDA drug
approval process has just been completed?
A. Phase I [CORRECT]
B. Phase II
C. Phase III
D. Phase IV
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Phase I clinical trials involve testing in healthy volunteers to assess safety,
dosage ranges, and pharmacokinetics; Phase II tests efficacy in small patient groups,
Phase III involves large randomized controlled trials, and Phase IV is post-marketing
surveillance.
Q5: A nurse is reviewing the Controlled Substances Act and notes that a particular
medication has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in the
United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Which
schedule is described?
A. Schedule II
B. Schedule III
, C. Schedule IV
D. Schedule I [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Schedule I controlled substances are defined by high abuse potential, no
accepted medical use, and lack of accepted safety; examples include heroin and LSD.
Schedules II–V have accepted medical uses and decreasing abuse potential.
Q6: A patient asks why the generic version of a medication costs less than the
brand-name version. Which explanation by the nurse is most accurate?
A. Generic drugs contain different active ingredients than brand-name drugs.
B. Generic drugs are held to lower safety and efficacy standards by the FDA.
C. Generic drugs contain the same active ingredients and must demonstrate
bioequivalence to the reference drug [CORRECT]
D. Generic drugs are always manufactured in foreign countries with less regulation.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: FDA-approved generic drugs must contain the same active ingredients,
strength, dosage form, and route of administration as the brand-name drug and must
demonstrate bioequivalence; they are held to the same quality and safety standards.
Section B: Pharmacokinetics — Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism,
& Excretion (10 Questions)
Q7: A patient receiving morphine orally reports inadequate pain relief, while another
patient receiving the same dose intravenously experiences significant analgesia. Which
pharmacokinetic principle best explains this difference?
A. Distribution
B. Bioavailability [CORRECT]
C. Excretion
D. Potency
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Bioavailability refers to the fraction of an administered drug that reaches
systemic circulation; oral morphine undergoes extensive first-pass hepatic metabolism,
2026/2027 – Complete Exam-Style Questions
with Detailed Rationales | 100% Verified | Pass
Guaranteed – A+ Graded
Section A: Introduction to Pharmacology — Drug Classifications,
Nomenclature, & Sources (6 Questions)
Q1: A nurse is reviewing a medication order for "lisinopril (Prinivil) 10 mg PO daily."
Which name in this order represents the nonproprietary, universally recognized identifier
for this drug?
A. Prinivil
B. Lisinopril [CORRECT]
C. 10 mg
D. PO
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The generic (nonproprietary) name is lisinopril; Prinivil is the brand/trade
name, 10 mg is the dose, and PO indicates the route of administration.
Q2: A pharmacology instructor explains that a drug is classified therapeutically as an
antihypertensive and pharmacologically as an ACE inhibitor. Which statement best
explains the difference between these two classification systems?
A. Therapeutic classification describes the drug's mechanism of action, while
pharmacologic classification describes its clinical use.
B. Therapeutic classification describes the drug's clinical use or indication, while
pharmacologic classification describes its mechanism of action [CORRECT]
C. Both systems describe identical characteristics using different terminology.
D. Therapeutic classification is assigned by the manufacturer, while pharmacologic
classification is assigned by the patient.
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: Therapeutic classification groups drugs by the condition they treat (e.g.,
antihypertensive), whereas pharmacologic classification groups drugs by their
mechanism of action or chemical effect (e.g., ACE inhibitor).
Q3: A nursing student is studying drug sources and learns that insulin is produced by
inserting recombinant DNA into bacterial cells. Which source category does this
represent?
A. Natural plant source
B. Natural mineral source
C. Biotechnology/synthetic source [CORRECT]
D. Animal extraction source
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Recombinant DNA technology using bacterial or yeast cells to produce
therapeutic proteins such as insulin is classified as biotechnology; this is distinct from
direct extraction from animal, plant, or mineral sources.
Q4: A new investigational drug has completed testing in healthy volunteers to determine
safe dosage ranges and pharmacokinetic profiles. Which phase of the FDA drug
approval process has just been completed?
A. Phase I [CORRECT]
B. Phase II
C. Phase III
D. Phase IV
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Phase I clinical trials involve testing in healthy volunteers to assess safety,
dosage ranges, and pharmacokinetics; Phase II tests efficacy in small patient groups,
Phase III involves large randomized controlled trials, and Phase IV is post-marketing
surveillance.
Q5: A nurse is reviewing the Controlled Substances Act and notes that a particular
medication has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in the
United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Which
schedule is described?
A. Schedule II
B. Schedule III
, C. Schedule IV
D. Schedule I [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Schedule I controlled substances are defined by high abuse potential, no
accepted medical use, and lack of accepted safety; examples include heroin and LSD.
Schedules II–V have accepted medical uses and decreasing abuse potential.
Q6: A patient asks why the generic version of a medication costs less than the
brand-name version. Which explanation by the nurse is most accurate?
A. Generic drugs contain different active ingredients than brand-name drugs.
B. Generic drugs are held to lower safety and efficacy standards by the FDA.
C. Generic drugs contain the same active ingredients and must demonstrate
bioequivalence to the reference drug [CORRECT]
D. Generic drugs are always manufactured in foreign countries with less regulation.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: FDA-approved generic drugs must contain the same active ingredients,
strength, dosage form, and route of administration as the brand-name drug and must
demonstrate bioequivalence; they are held to the same quality and safety standards.
Section B: Pharmacokinetics — Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism,
& Excretion (10 Questions)
Q7: A patient receiving morphine orally reports inadequate pain relief, while another
patient receiving the same dose intravenously experiences significant analgesia. Which
pharmacokinetic principle best explains this difference?
A. Distribution
B. Bioavailability [CORRECT]
C. Excretion
D. Potency
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Bioavailability refers to the fraction of an administered drug that reaches
systemic circulation; oral morphine undergoes extensive first-pass hepatic metabolism,
