Pharmacology Exam 1
The nurse is preparing to administer a drug to a patient with an infection. What is the
most important characteristic of this drug?
A. the drug will destroy the microorganism
B. the drug will be administered orally
C. the drug does not have harmful effects
D. the drug does not interact with other drugs correct answers A.
Rationale: Effectiveness is the most important property a drug can have
A nurse is teaching a patient about a newly prescribed drug. Which of the following
would be the most important to teach the patient to improve the intensity of the
response of the drug?
A. Take the dose in the morning
B. Take the prescribed dose
C. Take the dose with milk
D. Take the dose with other medications correct answers B
Rationale: The most important determinant of the intensity of drug responses is the
administered dose
A nurse has given morphine 2 mg intravenous to a patient after surgery and has
observed the "Six Rights of Drug Administration." What additional responsibility dose
the nurse have as a patient advocate?
A. To administer the drug as often as possible
B. To minimize adverse effects by reducing the next dose
C. To know the possible reactions to morphine
D. To inform the visitors that the patient has received morphine correct answers C
Rationale: It is important for the nurse to know in advance possible reactions to the
medication
A nurse does not understand why a patient is to receive a prescribed medication. What
should the nurse do?
A. Verify the dosage calculation with another nurse before administration
B. Ask the patient to verify his or her identity before administration
C. Read the medication label before administration
D. Verify with the prescribing healthcare provider the reason for the medication correct
answers D
Rationale: A nurse should not administer a medication unless he or she understands
the reason for its use
A nurse is preparing to administer diphenhydramine (benadryl) to a patient who is
having a severe allergic reaction. Which route of administration would provide the
fastest and most complete absorption of diphenhydramine?
,A. Intravenous
B. Intramuscular
C. Suncutaneous
D. Oral correct answers A
Rationale: Intravenous administration results in the fastest and most complete
absorption of a drug
Digoxin has a half-life of 36 to 48 hours. Because of the length of the half-life, the nurse
expects dosing to occur how often?
A. 4 times per day
B. 3 times per day
C. 2 times per day
D. Once a day correct answers D
Rationale: A drug with a long half-life will need to be administered once a day. The half-
life is the time required for the amount of drug in the body to decrease by 50%
A patient is prescribed cimetidine (a histamine H2 antagonist) to treat a gastric ulcer.
The nurse will teach the patient that this drug will:
A. react with gastric acid to form a thick paste and adhere to the ulcer area
B. activate mucous secretion by the parietal cells to protect the gastric lining
C. inhibit the action of histamine at receptor sites and block gastric acid secretion
D. neutralize gastric acid by inactivation of pepsin correct answers C
Rationale: A antagonist produces effects by preventing receptor activation by
endogenous regulatory molecules and drugs
Drug X has a therapeutic index of 10, and drug Y has a therapeutic index of 2. Which
drug should be monitored according to measurements of the actual blood levels
achieved?
A. Drug X
B. Drug Y
C. Both Drugs X and Y
D. Neither Drug X nor Y correct answers B
Rationale: A high therapeutic index is preferable to a low index. A low therapeutic index
indicates that the drug is not safe
A patient taking digoxin is prescribed a new medication (propranolol). The two drugs
combined may cause a serious decrease in heart rate. This is an example of:
A. an increased therapeutic effect
B. an increased adverse effect
C. a reduced therapeutic effect
D. a reduced adverse effect correct answers B
Rationale: Drug-to-drug interactions may potentiate detrimental action such as
bradycardia, which would be an increase in adverse effect of the medications
, A patient is prescribed a calcium channel blocker (diltiazem) to treat hypertension. The
nurse should instruct the patient to avoid:
A. orange juice
B. prune juice
C. grapefruit juice
D. apple juice correct answers C
Rationale: Grapefruit juice may inhibit the metabolism of calcium channel blockers,
producing life-threatening bradycardia and hypotension
A nurse receives a handwritten medication order in which the writing is not legible. The
nurse should:
A. consult with the charge nurse to verify the order
B. discuss the order with the pharmacist
C. check with the patient to determine the correct medication
D. contact the prescriber to clarify the order correct answers D
Rationale: the nurse should contact the prescriber to clarify the order
Which of the following patients would be at highest risk for an adverse drug reaction?
A. A newborn infant born to a mother who has allergies to penicillin, aspirin, and
codeine
B. A 16-year-old patient with multiple traumatic injuries from a motorcycle accident who
is taking morphine and an antibiotic in the hospital
C. An 84-year-old patient with diabetes, heart failure, and hypertension who takes 8
prescription medications every day
D. A 54-year-old patient with tuberculosis who has been enrolled in a clinical trial of a
new drug to treat the disease correct answers C
Rationale: Adverse events are more common in the elderly and very young. Adverse
events are more common in patients receiving multiple drugs. Patients with chronic
disorders are especially vulnerable to adverse drug reactions
Which of the following patients would most need individualized drug dose adjustment?
A. A 6-year-old patient with cerebral palsy
B. A 29-year-old patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia
C. A 64-year-old patient with chronic renal failure
D. A 72-year-old patient with a fractured right hip correct answers C
Rationale: Renal disease can reduce drug excretion and cause drugs to accumulate.
Dosages need to be reduced
When administering ordered medications, which of the following nursing practices is
inappropriate?
A. Give all medications exactly as ordered by the physician
B. Verify the route ordered for the drugs
C. Implement recommended special handling
D. Question the physician about orders that appear unclear correct answers A
The nurse is preparing to administer a drug to a patient with an infection. What is the
most important characteristic of this drug?
A. the drug will destroy the microorganism
B. the drug will be administered orally
C. the drug does not have harmful effects
D. the drug does not interact with other drugs correct answers A.
Rationale: Effectiveness is the most important property a drug can have
A nurse is teaching a patient about a newly prescribed drug. Which of the following
would be the most important to teach the patient to improve the intensity of the
response of the drug?
A. Take the dose in the morning
B. Take the prescribed dose
C. Take the dose with milk
D. Take the dose with other medications correct answers B
Rationale: The most important determinant of the intensity of drug responses is the
administered dose
A nurse has given morphine 2 mg intravenous to a patient after surgery and has
observed the "Six Rights of Drug Administration." What additional responsibility dose
the nurse have as a patient advocate?
A. To administer the drug as often as possible
B. To minimize adverse effects by reducing the next dose
C. To know the possible reactions to morphine
D. To inform the visitors that the patient has received morphine correct answers C
Rationale: It is important for the nurse to know in advance possible reactions to the
medication
A nurse does not understand why a patient is to receive a prescribed medication. What
should the nurse do?
A. Verify the dosage calculation with another nurse before administration
B. Ask the patient to verify his or her identity before administration
C. Read the medication label before administration
D. Verify with the prescribing healthcare provider the reason for the medication correct
answers D
Rationale: A nurse should not administer a medication unless he or she understands
the reason for its use
A nurse is preparing to administer diphenhydramine (benadryl) to a patient who is
having a severe allergic reaction. Which route of administration would provide the
fastest and most complete absorption of diphenhydramine?
,A. Intravenous
B. Intramuscular
C. Suncutaneous
D. Oral correct answers A
Rationale: Intravenous administration results in the fastest and most complete
absorption of a drug
Digoxin has a half-life of 36 to 48 hours. Because of the length of the half-life, the nurse
expects dosing to occur how often?
A. 4 times per day
B. 3 times per day
C. 2 times per day
D. Once a day correct answers D
Rationale: A drug with a long half-life will need to be administered once a day. The half-
life is the time required for the amount of drug in the body to decrease by 50%
A patient is prescribed cimetidine (a histamine H2 antagonist) to treat a gastric ulcer.
The nurse will teach the patient that this drug will:
A. react with gastric acid to form a thick paste and adhere to the ulcer area
B. activate mucous secretion by the parietal cells to protect the gastric lining
C. inhibit the action of histamine at receptor sites and block gastric acid secretion
D. neutralize gastric acid by inactivation of pepsin correct answers C
Rationale: A antagonist produces effects by preventing receptor activation by
endogenous regulatory molecules and drugs
Drug X has a therapeutic index of 10, and drug Y has a therapeutic index of 2. Which
drug should be monitored according to measurements of the actual blood levels
achieved?
A. Drug X
B. Drug Y
C. Both Drugs X and Y
D. Neither Drug X nor Y correct answers B
Rationale: A high therapeutic index is preferable to a low index. A low therapeutic index
indicates that the drug is not safe
A patient taking digoxin is prescribed a new medication (propranolol). The two drugs
combined may cause a serious decrease in heart rate. This is an example of:
A. an increased therapeutic effect
B. an increased adverse effect
C. a reduced therapeutic effect
D. a reduced adverse effect correct answers B
Rationale: Drug-to-drug interactions may potentiate detrimental action such as
bradycardia, which would be an increase in adverse effect of the medications
, A patient is prescribed a calcium channel blocker (diltiazem) to treat hypertension. The
nurse should instruct the patient to avoid:
A. orange juice
B. prune juice
C. grapefruit juice
D. apple juice correct answers C
Rationale: Grapefruit juice may inhibit the metabolism of calcium channel blockers,
producing life-threatening bradycardia and hypotension
A nurse receives a handwritten medication order in which the writing is not legible. The
nurse should:
A. consult with the charge nurse to verify the order
B. discuss the order with the pharmacist
C. check with the patient to determine the correct medication
D. contact the prescriber to clarify the order correct answers D
Rationale: the nurse should contact the prescriber to clarify the order
Which of the following patients would be at highest risk for an adverse drug reaction?
A. A newborn infant born to a mother who has allergies to penicillin, aspirin, and
codeine
B. A 16-year-old patient with multiple traumatic injuries from a motorcycle accident who
is taking morphine and an antibiotic in the hospital
C. An 84-year-old patient with diabetes, heart failure, and hypertension who takes 8
prescription medications every day
D. A 54-year-old patient with tuberculosis who has been enrolled in a clinical trial of a
new drug to treat the disease correct answers C
Rationale: Adverse events are more common in the elderly and very young. Adverse
events are more common in patients receiving multiple drugs. Patients with chronic
disorders are especially vulnerable to adverse drug reactions
Which of the following patients would most need individualized drug dose adjustment?
A. A 6-year-old patient with cerebral palsy
B. A 29-year-old patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia
C. A 64-year-old patient with chronic renal failure
D. A 72-year-old patient with a fractured right hip correct answers C
Rationale: Renal disease can reduce drug excretion and cause drugs to accumulate.
Dosages need to be reduced
When administering ordered medications, which of the following nursing practices is
inappropriate?
A. Give all medications exactly as ordered by the physician
B. Verify the route ordered for the drugs
C. Implement recommended special handling
D. Question the physician about orders that appear unclear correct answers A
