NURS 1150 EXAM – NURSE
PHARMACOLOGY I QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026/2027 VERIFIED
1. A patient with liver cirrhosis has a low serum albumin level. When administering a drug
that is highly protein-bound, the nurse should be most concerned about:
A. A decrease in the drug’s therapeutic effect
B. Delayed onset of the drug’s action
C. Rapid excretion of the drug by the kidneys
D. An increased risk of drug toxicity
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Drugs that are highly protein-bound require albumin to travel
through the bloodstream. If albumin levels are low, there is more ‘free’ active drug
available, significantly increasing the risk of toxicity.
2. Which pharmacokinetic process is most affected by the ‘first-pass effect’ when a
medication is administered orally?
A. Excretion
B. Metabolism
C. Distribution
,D. Absorption
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: The first-pass effect refers to the metabolism of a drug by the
liver after being absorbed from the GI tract and before it reaches systemic circulation,
reducing the bioavailability of the drug.
3. A nurse is administering a medication that acts as an agonist. How does this drug exert its
effect?
A. By binding to a receptor and blocking a response
B. By inhibiting the action of enzymes in the bloodstream
C. By binding to a receptor and stimulating a physiological response
D. By changing the cellular DNA sequence
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: An agonist is a drug that binds to a receptor and triggers a
response that mimics the body’s own regulatory molecules.
4. When evaluating the ‘trough level’ of a medication like Vancomycin, when should the
nurse draw the blood sample?
A. 30 minutes after completing the infusion
B. 1 hour after the start of the infusion
C. At the midpoint between two doses
, D. Immediately before the next scheduled dose
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Trough levels represent the lowest concentration of a drug in
the patient’s bloodstream and should be drawn immediately (usually 30 minutes) before
the next dose is administered.
5. A patient is prescribed a drug with a very narrow therapeutic index. The nurse understands
that this means:
A. The drug is very safe and requires no monitoring
B. The drug is only effective at very high doses
C. There is a small margin between the effective dose and a lethal dose
D. The drug must be taken on an empty stomach to work
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: A narrow therapeutic index means the difference between a
therapeutic dose and a toxic dose is small, requiring close monitoring of blood levels.
6. A 75-year-old patient is prescribed a new medication. Which physiological change
associated with aging most impacts drug distribution?
A. Increased total body water
B. Increased lean muscle mass
C. Decreased serum albumin levels
PHARMACOLOGY I QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026/2027 VERIFIED
1. A patient with liver cirrhosis has a low serum albumin level. When administering a drug
that is highly protein-bound, the nurse should be most concerned about:
A. A decrease in the drug’s therapeutic effect
B. Delayed onset of the drug’s action
C. Rapid excretion of the drug by the kidneys
D. An increased risk of drug toxicity
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Drugs that are highly protein-bound require albumin to travel
through the bloodstream. If albumin levels are low, there is more ‘free’ active drug
available, significantly increasing the risk of toxicity.
2. Which pharmacokinetic process is most affected by the ‘first-pass effect’ when a
medication is administered orally?
A. Excretion
B. Metabolism
C. Distribution
,D. Absorption
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: The first-pass effect refers to the metabolism of a drug by the
liver after being absorbed from the GI tract and before it reaches systemic circulation,
reducing the bioavailability of the drug.
3. A nurse is administering a medication that acts as an agonist. How does this drug exert its
effect?
A. By binding to a receptor and blocking a response
B. By inhibiting the action of enzymes in the bloodstream
C. By binding to a receptor and stimulating a physiological response
D. By changing the cellular DNA sequence
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: An agonist is a drug that binds to a receptor and triggers a
response that mimics the body’s own regulatory molecules.
4. When evaluating the ‘trough level’ of a medication like Vancomycin, when should the
nurse draw the blood sample?
A. 30 minutes after completing the infusion
B. 1 hour after the start of the infusion
C. At the midpoint between two doses
, D. Immediately before the next scheduled dose
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Trough levels represent the lowest concentration of a drug in
the patient’s bloodstream and should be drawn immediately (usually 30 minutes) before
the next dose is administered.
5. A patient is prescribed a drug with a very narrow therapeutic index. The nurse understands
that this means:
A. The drug is very safe and requires no monitoring
B. The drug is only effective at very high doses
C. There is a small margin between the effective dose and a lethal dose
D. The drug must be taken on an empty stomach to work
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: A narrow therapeutic index means the difference between a
therapeutic dose and a toxic dose is small, requiring close monitoring of blood levels.
6. A 75-year-old patient is prescribed a new medication. Which physiological change
associated with aging most impacts drug distribution?
A. Increased total body water
B. Increased lean muscle mass
C. Decreased serum albumin levels
