NUR 2474 MIDTERM EXAM:
PHARMACOLOGY IN NURSING
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS |
100% CORRECT | GRADE A+
1. A patient is prescribed a medication that undergoes a significant first-pass effect. Which
route of administration would be most affected by this process?
A. Intravenous
B. Sublingual
C. Oral
D. Transdermal
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: The first-pass effect occurs when a drug is metabolized by the
liver before reaching systemic circulation, which primarily affects oral medications.
2. When assessing a patient for medication toxicity, the nurse understands that a drug with a
narrow therapeutic index (TI) indicates:
A. The drug is very safe and requires little monitoring.
B. The drug has a long half-life.
C. The difference between the effective dose and lethal dose is small.
,D. The drug is easily excreted by the kidneys.
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: A narrow therapeutic index means there is a small margin of
safety between the dose that is effective and the dose that is toxic or lethal.
3. A patient has a serum albumin level of 2.2 g/dL. What is the pharmacological implication
for a drug that is highly protein-bound?
A. The drug will be excreted faster.
B. There will be an increased risk of toxicity due to more free drug.
C. The drug will be less effective because it cannot bind.
D. The patient will require a higher dose of the medication.
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Low albumin means fewer binding sites; for highly protein-
bound drugs, this leads to higher levels of active ‘free’ drug, increasing toxicity risk.
4. A drug has a half-life of 4 hours. If a patient takes 200mg, how much of the drug remains in
the system after 12 hours?
A. 100mg
B. 50mg
C. 12.5mg
D. 25mg
, Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: After 4 hours (1st half-life): 100mg remains. After 8 hours
(2nd): 50mg remains. After 12 hours (3rd): 25mg remains.
5. Which neurotransmitter is primarily responsible for the ‘rest and digest’ response of the
parasympathetic nervous system?
A. Epinephrine
B. Acetylcholine
C. Norepinephrine
D. Dopamine
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter of the
parasympathetic nervous system.
6. The nurse is preparing to administer Bethanechol. Which condition in the patient’s history
would be a contraindication?
A. Urinary retention
B. Hypothyroidism
C. Glaucoma
D. Asthma
Answer: D
PHARMACOLOGY IN NURSING
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS |
100% CORRECT | GRADE A+
1. A patient is prescribed a medication that undergoes a significant first-pass effect. Which
route of administration would be most affected by this process?
A. Intravenous
B. Sublingual
C. Oral
D. Transdermal
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: The first-pass effect occurs when a drug is metabolized by the
liver before reaching systemic circulation, which primarily affects oral medications.
2. When assessing a patient for medication toxicity, the nurse understands that a drug with a
narrow therapeutic index (TI) indicates:
A. The drug is very safe and requires little monitoring.
B. The drug has a long half-life.
C. The difference between the effective dose and lethal dose is small.
,D. The drug is easily excreted by the kidneys.
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: A narrow therapeutic index means there is a small margin of
safety between the dose that is effective and the dose that is toxic or lethal.
3. A patient has a serum albumin level of 2.2 g/dL. What is the pharmacological implication
for a drug that is highly protein-bound?
A. The drug will be excreted faster.
B. There will be an increased risk of toxicity due to more free drug.
C. The drug will be less effective because it cannot bind.
D. The patient will require a higher dose of the medication.
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Low albumin means fewer binding sites; for highly protein-
bound drugs, this leads to higher levels of active ‘free’ drug, increasing toxicity risk.
4. A drug has a half-life of 4 hours. If a patient takes 200mg, how much of the drug remains in
the system after 12 hours?
A. 100mg
B. 50mg
C. 12.5mg
D. 25mg
, Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: After 4 hours (1st half-life): 100mg remains. After 8 hours
(2nd): 50mg remains. After 12 hours (3rd): 25mg remains.
5. Which neurotransmitter is primarily responsible for the ‘rest and digest’ response of the
parasympathetic nervous system?
A. Epinephrine
B. Acetylcholine
C. Norepinephrine
D. Dopamine
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter of the
parasympathetic nervous system.
6. The nurse is preparing to administer Bethanechol. Which condition in the patient’s history
would be a contraindication?
A. Urinary retention
B. Hypothyroidism
C. Glaucoma
D. Asthma
Answer: D
