HESI PN/LPN Pharmacology Exam Latest Update 2023/2024 with All QUESTIONS ANSWERED (55 Q&A)

1. While taking a client's history, the practical nurse (PN) discovers that the client, who takes Coumadin daily, has added a ginger supplement on the advice of a friend. What comment is critical for the PN to provide to this client? - "Your health care provider is interested in all medications and herbs you take." 2. A client with diabetes mellitus takes insulin daily and is prescribed propranolol (Inderal). Which information should the nurse provide to this client? - A sign of hypoglycemia is that propranolol slows a rapid heart rate. 3. A client has a positive skin test for tuberculosis. What prophylactic drug should the practical nurse (PN) expect to be prescribed for this client? Isoniazid (INH) 4. Amitriptyline hydrochloride (Elavil) is prescribed for an adult female client who is clinically depressed. Five days after beginning the drug, the client is admitted to the hospital because of suicide ideation. She tells the practical nurse (PN) that the drug is not working because she is not feeling any better. Which explanation should the PN provide? "It takes 2 to 4 weeks for antidepressant medications to become effective." 5. In planning care for a client diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia, which intervention should the practical nurse implement? Obtain the sputum specimen before administering prescribed antibiotics. 6. Phenytoin (Dilantin) is prescribed for a client who has a seizure disorder. Which statement by the client indicates to the practical nurse that the instruction about this drug has been effective? "I know that I should never stop taking this medication abruptly." 7. The practical nurse (PN) is obtaining the medical history of a female client starting a new prescription for conjugated estrogens (Premarin) 0.625 mg PO daily. Before taking the first dose of the medication, which information is most important for the PN to obtain from the client? Cigarette smoking history 8. A mother brings her 3-month-old infant to the well-baby clinic because the baby has developed oral thrush. Which pharmacological agent should the practical nurse (PN) expect to be prescribed for the thrush? Nystatin (Mycostatin) 9. The H2 receptor blocker famotidine (Pepcid) is prescribed for a client who has been taking antacids for chronic gastritis. Which client statement indicates to the practical nurse (PN) that teaching was effective regarding concurrent use of these medications? "I will take the antacid after meals and the Pepcid at bedtime." 10. A mother brings her 18-month-old child to the clinic because the child has had "bad diarrhea" for the last 3 days. She states, "I bought some of this liquid at the pharmacy and gave my daughter a half-ounce." The practical nurse (PN) sees that the bottle contains loperamide (Imodium AD). What intervention is most important for the PN to implement initially? - Ask the mother when the child last voided. 11. A client who received a prescription for cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion (Restasis) for dry eyes asks the practical nurse (PN) if it is safe to continue using artificial tears. What information should the PN provide? Allow a 15-minute interval between the administration of Restasis and artificial tears. 12. The health care provider prescribes morphine sulfate grain 1/8 IM stat. Morphine is available in 8 mg/mL. How many milliliters should the practical nurse (PN) administer? 1 mL 13. A 74-year-old female client asks the practical nurse (PN) if she should get a flu shot. Which response should the PN provide? - "Yes. Normal aging decreases your immunity, making you more susceptible to contagious diseases such as the flu." 14. A 78-year-old client with congestive heart failure (CHF) receives the cardiac glycoside digoxin (Lanoxin) 0.25 mg PO daily. Which observation by the nurse indicates that the medication has been effective? Clear breath sounds bilaterally. 15. The healthcare provider orders 1000 mL of 0.5% normal saline to run over 8 hours. The drop factor is 15 gtt/mL. The nurse plans to adjust the flow rate to how many gtt/min? (Round to the nearest whole number.) 31 16. A client asks the practical nurse (PN) if glipizide (Glucotrol) is an oral insulin. What answer should the PN provide? - "No, it is not an oral insulin and can be used only when some beta cell function is present." 17. A female client who started taking an oral sulfonamide for a urinary tract infection the previous day reports to the nurse that the medication is causing slight anorexia. She also states that she continues to experience urinary frequency, so she takes the medication with a small sip of cranberry juice and limits her fluid intake. What information should the practical nurse provide - Drink a full glass of water with the medication and drink additional fluids throughout the day 18. A health care provider prescribes cefadroxil (Duricef) for a client with a postoperative infection. It is most important for the practical nurse (PN) to consider that a cross allergy is possible with what drug allergy? - Penicillins 19. A client is receiving the antipsychotic medication haloperidol (Haldol). In evaluating the effectiveness of this medication, which action provides the practical nurse with the most reliable information? - Observe the client for changes in behavior weekly. 20. A client is receiving benztropine (Cogentin) and olanzapine (Seroquel) to control psychotic behavior. When reinforcing teaching to the client and/or significant others about these medications, what should the practical nurse (PN) explain about the use of benztropine (Cogentin)? The benztropine (Cogentin) is used to control extrapyramidal symptoms. 21. Which question should the practical nurse (PN) ask an older client before beginning treatment with gentamicin sulfate (Garamycin)? Are you hard of hearing?" 22. Oral metronidazole (Flagyl) is prescribed for a client diagnosed with vaginal trichomoniasis, a protozoan infection. What precautions should the practical nurse (PN) instruct the client to follow while taking this medication? Avoid ingesting any alcoholic (ethanol) beverage. 23. Which finding indicates that the desired effect of phenazopyridine (Pyridium), used in the management of urinary tract infections (UTIs), has been achieved? Client denies pain when voiding. 24. The practical nurse (PN) is evaluating a client in the immediate postoperative period who is receiving morphine via a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump. What finding should the PN consider the highest priority in this client? - The rate and depth of the client's respirations 25. The nurse prepares to administer ophthalmic drops to a client before cataract surgery. List the steps in the order they should be implemented from first step to final step. Wash hands and apply clean gloves. Place the dominant hand on the client's forehead. Drop prescribed number of drops into the conjunctival sac. Ask the client to close the eye gently. 26. Which change in data indicates to the practical nurse (PN) that the desired effect of the angiotensin II receptor antagonist losartan (Cozaar) is achieved? Blood pressure reduced from 160/90 to 130/80 mmm Hg 27. A client with angina pectoris is instructed to take sublingual nitroglycerin tablets PRN for chest pain. Which information should the practical nurse (PN) reinforce with this client? Take one tablet at the onset of angina and stop activity. 28. A 6-month-old infant with congestive heart failure (CHF) is receiving digoxin elixir. Which observation by the practical nurse (PN) warrants immediate intervention? Apical heart rate of 60 beats/min 29. A 12-year-old boy is admitted from the emergency room with status epilepticus. His parents report that his seizure disorder has been managed with phenytoin (Dilantin) 50 mg PO bid for the past year. What drug should the practical nurse (PN) expect to be prescribed for administration in the event of another series of seizures? Diazepam (Valium) 30. A nurse who is working in a men's health clinic is reviewing the medical records of several clients who have received prescriptions for sildenafil (Viagra). Which client history data should alert the nurse that close monitoring for adverse effects of Viagra is necessary Duodenal ulcer prophylaxis with cimetidine (Tagamet) 31. A 78-year-old client with congestive heart failure is taking furosemide (Lasix) 40 mg PO twice daily. The nurse plans to monitor this client for development of which complication? Select all that apply. Muscle cramps Hypertension Lethagy Oliguria