NUR-641E ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND
PHARMACOLOGY FOR THE NURSE EDUCATOR QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | NUR-641E STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST
2026/2027
Pharmacokinetics - ANS✔✔ Involves ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and
elimination).
Absorption: absorption from the administration site either directly or indirectly into the
blood/plasma.
Distribution: reversibly or irreversibly move from the bloodstream into the interstitial and
intracellular fluid.
Metabolism: bio-transformed via hepatic metabolism or by other tissues.
Elimination: lastly, the drug & its metabolites are eliminated from the body
The route of administration with the highest bio-availability is - ANS✔✔ Intravenous; putting
entire dose into a patient's vein and bypassing absorption. Intravenous route avoids first-pass
metabolism in the liver.
rectal administration disadvantages - ANS✔✔ variable and erratic absorption
Steady state (SS) - ANS✔✔ is usually reached within 4-5 half-lives of a drug
The half-life of a drug is defined as - ANS✔✔ how long it takes for half the drug to be excreted
from the body
,Half-life of a drug - ANS✔✔ Determines how frequently the drug must be administered
Predicts how long toxic effects can last
Half-life is constant with first-order pharmacokinetics of a drug
Zero-order (nonlinear) pharmacokinetics means a drug is metabolized at a constant rate per
unit time.
CYP3A4 substrate drugs - ANS✔✔ May have enhanced activity if any CYP3A4 inducer drugs are
used along with it.
Drug development steps (according to the FDA) - ANS✔✔ Discovery: laboratory research to
develop the new drug
Pre-clinical research with animal testing for safety (Phase I)
Clinical research on human subjects for medication safety (Phase II)
Clinical research in humans comparing the new drug to accepted medications or placebo
depending on the study (Phase III)
FDA review of the results to determine approval
Post-marketing study to identify adverse effects not found in earlier clinical studies (Phase IV)
, Medication safety organizations - ANS✔✔ The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)
The Institute of Medicine (IOM)
The Joint Commission
The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCCMERP)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Safe Use Initiative
Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) - ANS✔✔ Two basic type of ADRs: pharmacological and
idiosyncratic.
85% to 90% of ADRs are pharmacological.
Adverse drug reactions are usually preventable, frequently occur in a hospital or nursing home
setting, and include medication errors, adverse drug effects, allergic and idiosyncratic type
reactions.
ADRs are not commonly reported; the FDA does not mandate that ADRs be reported.
Polypharmacy involves using multiple healthcare providers for care, using multiple medications,
and using several pharmacies for prescription filling.
Cardiovascular-Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs): - ANS✔✔ Lisinopril, captopril,
enalapril, ramipril, benazepril, fosinopril;
*ACEIs reduce blood pressure by suppressing the release of angiotensin-converting enzyme.
PHARMACOLOGY FOR THE NURSE EDUCATOR QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | NUR-641E STUDY GUIDE & PRACTICE TEST
2026/2027
Pharmacokinetics - ANS✔✔ Involves ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and
elimination).
Absorption: absorption from the administration site either directly or indirectly into the
blood/plasma.
Distribution: reversibly or irreversibly move from the bloodstream into the interstitial and
intracellular fluid.
Metabolism: bio-transformed via hepatic metabolism or by other tissues.
Elimination: lastly, the drug & its metabolites are eliminated from the body
The route of administration with the highest bio-availability is - ANS✔✔ Intravenous; putting
entire dose into a patient's vein and bypassing absorption. Intravenous route avoids first-pass
metabolism in the liver.
rectal administration disadvantages - ANS✔✔ variable and erratic absorption
Steady state (SS) - ANS✔✔ is usually reached within 4-5 half-lives of a drug
The half-life of a drug is defined as - ANS✔✔ how long it takes for half the drug to be excreted
from the body
,Half-life of a drug - ANS✔✔ Determines how frequently the drug must be administered
Predicts how long toxic effects can last
Half-life is constant with first-order pharmacokinetics of a drug
Zero-order (nonlinear) pharmacokinetics means a drug is metabolized at a constant rate per
unit time.
CYP3A4 substrate drugs - ANS✔✔ May have enhanced activity if any CYP3A4 inducer drugs are
used along with it.
Drug development steps (according to the FDA) - ANS✔✔ Discovery: laboratory research to
develop the new drug
Pre-clinical research with animal testing for safety (Phase I)
Clinical research on human subjects for medication safety (Phase II)
Clinical research in humans comparing the new drug to accepted medications or placebo
depending on the study (Phase III)
FDA review of the results to determine approval
Post-marketing study to identify adverse effects not found in earlier clinical studies (Phase IV)
, Medication safety organizations - ANS✔✔ The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)
The Institute of Medicine (IOM)
The Joint Commission
The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCCMERP)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Safe Use Initiative
Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) - ANS✔✔ Two basic type of ADRs: pharmacological and
idiosyncratic.
85% to 90% of ADRs are pharmacological.
Adverse drug reactions are usually preventable, frequently occur in a hospital or nursing home
setting, and include medication errors, adverse drug effects, allergic and idiosyncratic type
reactions.
ADRs are not commonly reported; the FDA does not mandate that ADRs be reported.
Polypharmacy involves using multiple healthcare providers for care, using multiple medications,
and using several pharmacies for prescription filling.
Cardiovascular-Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs): - ANS✔✔ Lisinopril, captopril,
enalapril, ramipril, benazepril, fosinopril;
*ACEIs reduce blood pressure by suppressing the release of angiotensin-converting enzyme.
