HESI PN PHARMACOLOGY EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS)
49 QUESTIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
# TOPIC
1 Apply pharmacological concepts to safely administer medications across diverse patient populations
2 Analyze patient data to identify potential drug interactions, adverse effects, and contraindications
3 Calculate accurate drug dosages using dimensional analysis and interpret medication orders
4 Prioritize nursing interventions related to medication administration and patient monitoring
5 Evaluate patient teaching needs for various pharmacologic agents and therapeutic regimens
6 HESI PN PHARMACOLOGY EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
7 VERIFIED ANSWERS
8 Foundations of Pharmacology for Practical Nursing
9 Applied Pharmacology for Practical Nursing
10 Advanced Pharmacology for Practical Nursing
11 Pharmacology for Practical Nursing Review
ABSTRACT
This study document brings together 49 carefully worded exam questions drawn from HESI PN
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS),
with the strongest emphasis placed on Apply pharmacological concepts to safely administer
medications across diverse patient populations, Analyze patient data to identify potential drug
interactions, adverse effects, and contraindications and Calculate accurate drug dosages using
dimensional analysis and interpret medication orders. Every item follows the wording style and
level of reasoning you meet in the real paper, and each one is paired with a clear rationale so the
correct choice is never a guess. Work through the set at your own pace, mark the questions that
slow you down, then come back to them until the reasoning feels automatic. Learners who revise
this way walk into the exam room recognising the pattern behind the questions instead of meeting
them for the first time. Keep going - steady, honest practice is what turns a difficult paper into a
comfortable pass.
Page 1
,Q1 APPLY PHARMACOLOGICAL CONCEPTS TO SAFELY ADMINISTER MEDICATIONS
ACROSS DIVERSE PATIENT POPULATIONS
A patient with heart failure is prescribed digoxin and furosemide. Which
assessment finding most urgently requires withholding the digoxin dose and
notifying the provider?
A. Heart rate 58 beats/min and regular
B. Serum potassium 3.1 mEq/L with nausea and visual halos CORRECT
C. Blood pressure 108/68 mm Hg and dry cough
D. Weight loss of 0.5 kg since yesterday
RATIONALE: Hypokalemia from furosemide increases digoxin toxicity risk; nausea and visual
halos are classic signs. The other options are either expected therapeutic effects or unrelated to
immediate digoxin toxicity.
Q2 APPLY PHARMACOLOGICAL CONCEPTS TO SAFELY ADMINISTER MEDICATIONS
ACROSS DIVERSE PATIENT POPULATIONS
A provider orders 500 mg of a medication in 100 mL D5W to infuse over 30
minutes. The drop factor is 20 gtt/mL. What is the correct flow rate in drops per
minute?
A. 33 gtt/min
B. 67 gtt/min CORRECT
C. 100 gtt/min
D. 150 gtt/min
RATIONALE: Using the formula (volume × drop factor) / time in minutes: (100 mL × 20 gtt/mL) /
30 min = 66.6, rounded to 67 gtt/min. Other rates result from calculation errors or wrong time
conversion.
Page 2
, Q3 APPLY PHARMACOLOGICAL CONCEPTS TO SAFELY ADMINISTER MEDICATIONS
ACROSS DIVERSE PATIENT POPULATIONS
Which instruction is most critical for a patient starting warfarin therapy who also
takes acetaminophen regularly for arthritis?
A. Avoid all NSAIDs and use acetaminophen as needed.
B. Limit acetaminophen to no more than 2 grams per day and monitor for bleeding. CORRECT
C. Take vitamin K daily to counteract warfarin.
D. Double the warfarin dose on days when acetaminophen is taken.
RATIONALE: Acetaminophen can potentiate warfarin's anticoagulant effect, especially at higher
doses; limiting to 2 g/day reduces risk. The other options are either incorrect (doubling dose) or
unsafe (vitamin K without monitoring).
Q4 APPLY PHARMACOLOGICAL CONCEPTS TO SAFELY ADMINISTER MEDICATIONS
ACROSS DIVERSE PATIENT POPULATIONS
A patient receiving intravenous gentamicin develops tinnitus and vertigo. Which
action should the nurse take first?
A. Document the findings and continue the infusion.
B. Stop the infusion and notify the provider immediately. CORRECT
C. Administer a prescribed antiemetic for vertigo.
D. Reduce the infusion rate by half and reassess in 1 hour.
RATIONALE: Tinnitus and vertigo are signs of ototoxicity from aminoglycosides; the infusion
must be stopped and the provider notified to prevent permanent damage. Continuing or adjusting
the rate without an order is unsafe.
Page 3
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS)
49 QUESTIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
# TOPIC
1 Apply pharmacological concepts to safely administer medications across diverse patient populations
2 Analyze patient data to identify potential drug interactions, adverse effects, and contraindications
3 Calculate accurate drug dosages using dimensional analysis and interpret medication orders
4 Prioritize nursing interventions related to medication administration and patient monitoring
5 Evaluate patient teaching needs for various pharmacologic agents and therapeutic regimens
6 HESI PN PHARMACOLOGY EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
7 VERIFIED ANSWERS
8 Foundations of Pharmacology for Practical Nursing
9 Applied Pharmacology for Practical Nursing
10 Advanced Pharmacology for Practical Nursing
11 Pharmacology for Practical Nursing Review
ABSTRACT
This study document brings together 49 carefully worded exam questions drawn from HESI PN
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS),
with the strongest emphasis placed on Apply pharmacological concepts to safely administer
medications across diverse patient populations, Analyze patient data to identify potential drug
interactions, adverse effects, and contraindications and Calculate accurate drug dosages using
dimensional analysis and interpret medication orders. Every item follows the wording style and
level of reasoning you meet in the real paper, and each one is paired with a clear rationale so the
correct choice is never a guess. Work through the set at your own pace, mark the questions that
slow you down, then come back to them until the reasoning feels automatic. Learners who revise
this way walk into the exam room recognising the pattern behind the questions instead of meeting
them for the first time. Keep going - steady, honest practice is what turns a difficult paper into a
comfortable pass.
Page 1
,Q1 APPLY PHARMACOLOGICAL CONCEPTS TO SAFELY ADMINISTER MEDICATIONS
ACROSS DIVERSE PATIENT POPULATIONS
A patient with heart failure is prescribed digoxin and furosemide. Which
assessment finding most urgently requires withholding the digoxin dose and
notifying the provider?
A. Heart rate 58 beats/min and regular
B. Serum potassium 3.1 mEq/L with nausea and visual halos CORRECT
C. Blood pressure 108/68 mm Hg and dry cough
D. Weight loss of 0.5 kg since yesterday
RATIONALE: Hypokalemia from furosemide increases digoxin toxicity risk; nausea and visual
halos are classic signs. The other options are either expected therapeutic effects or unrelated to
immediate digoxin toxicity.
Q2 APPLY PHARMACOLOGICAL CONCEPTS TO SAFELY ADMINISTER MEDICATIONS
ACROSS DIVERSE PATIENT POPULATIONS
A provider orders 500 mg of a medication in 100 mL D5W to infuse over 30
minutes. The drop factor is 20 gtt/mL. What is the correct flow rate in drops per
minute?
A. 33 gtt/min
B. 67 gtt/min CORRECT
C. 100 gtt/min
D. 150 gtt/min
RATIONALE: Using the formula (volume × drop factor) / time in minutes: (100 mL × 20 gtt/mL) /
30 min = 66.6, rounded to 67 gtt/min. Other rates result from calculation errors or wrong time
conversion.
Page 2
, Q3 APPLY PHARMACOLOGICAL CONCEPTS TO SAFELY ADMINISTER MEDICATIONS
ACROSS DIVERSE PATIENT POPULATIONS
Which instruction is most critical for a patient starting warfarin therapy who also
takes acetaminophen regularly for arthritis?
A. Avoid all NSAIDs and use acetaminophen as needed.
B. Limit acetaminophen to no more than 2 grams per day and monitor for bleeding. CORRECT
C. Take vitamin K daily to counteract warfarin.
D. Double the warfarin dose on days when acetaminophen is taken.
RATIONALE: Acetaminophen can potentiate warfarin's anticoagulant effect, especially at higher
doses; limiting to 2 g/day reduces risk. The other options are either incorrect (doubling dose) or
unsafe (vitamin K without monitoring).
Q4 APPLY PHARMACOLOGICAL CONCEPTS TO SAFELY ADMINISTER MEDICATIONS
ACROSS DIVERSE PATIENT POPULATIONS
A patient receiving intravenous gentamicin develops tinnitus and vertigo. Which
action should the nurse take first?
A. Document the findings and continue the infusion.
B. Stop the infusion and notify the provider immediately. CORRECT
C. Administer a prescribed antiemetic for vertigo.
D. Reduce the infusion rate by half and reassess in 1 hour.
RATIONALE: Tinnitus and vertigo are signs of ototoxicity from aminoglycosides; the infusion
must be stopped and the provider notified to prevent permanent damage. Continuing or adjusting
the rate without an order is unsafe.
Page 3
