2024 PHARMACOLOGY HESI V2
PREPARATION EXAM WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
A nurse is completing an assessment of a client's current medications. The
client states she also takes gingko biloba. Which of the following medications
is contraindicated for a client taking gingko biloba?
A. Acetampinophen
B. Warfarin
C. Digoxin
D. Lisinopril - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: B
Warfarin is contraindicated for a client taking gingko biloba due to the risk of
bleeding or hemorrhage.
A nurse is reviewing the health care record of a client who has a prescription
for conjugated equine estrogens. In which of the following conditions is the
use of estrogens contraindicated?
A. Atrophic vaginitis
B. Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
C. Osteoporosis
D. Thrombophlebitis - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: D
Estrogen increases the risk of thrombolytic events.
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding and atrophic vaginitis can occur when there is
estrogen deficiency. This medication is used to treat these conditions.
Women are at risk for osteoporosis after the onset of menopause. Estrogen is
used to slow the progression of osteoporosis.
A client is prescribed phenobarbital sodium (Luminal) for a seizure disorder.
The medication has a long half-life of 4 days. Based on this half-life, the
medication will most likely be prescribed
A. once a day.
B. twice a day.
C. three times a day.
D. four times a day. - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: A
Medication with long half-lives remain at their therapeutic levels between
doses for long periods of time. Therefore, this medication can be
administered once a day.
,A nurse is explaining the mechanism of action of combination oral
contraceptives to a group of clients. The nurse should tell the clients that
which of the following actions occur with the use of combination oral
contraceptives? (Select all that apply.)
A. Thickening the cervical mucosa
B. Inducing maturation of ovarian follicle
C. Increasing the development of the corpus luteum
D. Altering the endometrial lining.
E. Inhibiting ovulation - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: A, D, E
I don't understand any of these rationales.
A nurse is providing teaching to a female client who is taking testosterone to
treat advanced breast cancer. The nurse should tell the client that which of
the following are adverse effects of this medication?
A. Deepening voice
B. Male pattern baldness
C. Sedation
D. Constipation
E. Facial hair - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: A, B, E
Excitation and insomnia are adverse effects of this medication, not sedation.
Diarrhea is an adverse effect, not constipation.
A nurse is providing teaching to a client who is to start alfuzosin for
treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Which of the following is an
adverse effect of this medication?
A. Rash
B. Edema
C. Hypotension
D. Jaundice - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: C
Alfuzosin relaxes muscle tone in veins and cardiac output decreases, which
leads to hypotension. Clients taking this medication are advised to rise
slowly from a sitting or lying position.
A nurse is caring for a client who has angina and asks about obtaining a
prescription for sildenafil (Viagra) to treat erectile dysfunction. Which of the
following medications should not be taken concurrently with sildenafil?
A. Ranolazine
B. Isosorbide
C. Clopidogrel
D. Lisinopril - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: B
Isosorbide is an organic nitrate that manages pain from angina. Concurrent
use of it is contraindicated because fatal hypotension can occur. The client
should avoid taking a nitrate medication for 24 hr after taking isosorbide.
A nurse is providing care to a client who is prescribed terbutaline by the
provider. The nurse should recognize that terbutaline is administered to
,A. stop uterine contractions.
B. prevent bleeding
C. promote placental blood flow.
D. increase prostaglandin production. - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: A
Terbutaline blocks beta2-adrenergic receptors, which causes uterine smooth
muscle relaxation. It is used to suppress preterm labor, but does not
preventing bleeding nor promotes placental blood flow. Terbutaline
suppresses uterine contractions.
A nurse in labor and delivery is caring for a client who has a new prescription
for oxytocin to stimulate uterine contractions. Which of the following are
appropriate nursing interventions? (Select all that apply.)
A. Use an infusion pump for medication administration.
B. Provide continuous monitoring of vital signs.
C. Stop infusion if uterine contractions occur every 4 min and last 45
seconds.
D. Increase medication infusion rate rapidly.
E. Monitor FHR continuously. - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: A, B, E
Vital signs must be monitored to assess for hypertension, an adverse effect.
Continuous FHR monitoring is required to assess for fetal distress.
Infusion should not be stopped because therapeutic effect has not been
achieved. Generally goal is uterine contractions that last less than 1 minute
every 2-3 minutes.
A nurse is caring for a client who has preeclampsia and is receiving IV
magnesium sulfate. Which of the following findings should the nurse report
to the provider?
A. 2+ deep tendon reflexes
B. 2+ pedal edema
C. 24 mL/hr urinary output
D. Respirations 12/min - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: C
Urine output of less than 25 to 30 mL/hr is associated with magnesium
sulfate toxicity and should be reported to the provider.
Rest of the answers are expected findings.
A nurse in labor and delivery is caring for a client who is in labor and
receiving IV opioid analgesics. Which of the following is an appropriate action
by the nurse?
A. Instruct the client to self-ambulate every 2 hrs.
B. Offer oral hygiene every 2 hr.
C. Anticipate medication administration 2 hr prior to delivery.
D. Monitor fetal heart rate every 2 hr. - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: B
Oral hygiene should be offered on a regular basis to a client receiving opioid
analgesics due to adverse effects of dry mouth, nausea, and vomiting.
, Clients should be assisted with ambulation. Opioid analgesics should not be
administered within 4 hr of delivery.
A nurse is reviewing a new prescription for terbutaline with a client who has
a history of preterm labor. Which of the following client statements indicates
understanding of the teaching?
A. "I can increase my activity now that I've started on this medication."
B. "I will increase my daily fluid intake to 3 quarts."
C. "I will report intensity of contractions to my doctor."
D. "I am gland this will prevent preterm labor." - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: C
The client should report increasing intensity, frequency, or duration of
contractions to provider because these are manifestations of preterm labor.
Fluid intake should be no more than 2,400 mL/day. Terbutaline delays
preterm labor, it does not prevent it.
A nurse is preparing to administer auranofin for a client who has rheumatoid
arthritis. The nurse should monitor the client for which of the following
adverse effects of this medication? (Select all that apply.)
A. Insomnia
B. Stomatitis
C. Visual changes
D. Bruising
E. Pruritus - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: B, D, E
The nurse should hold the medication and notify the provider if the client
reports stomatitis. Thrombocytopenia is an adverse effect of auranofin, and
bruising is a common finding in thrombocytopenia. Hold medication and
notify. Hold med for pruritus too.
A nurse educator is reviewing medication dosages and factors that influence
medication metabolism with a group of nurses. Medication dosages may
need to be decreased for which of the following reasons? (Select all that
apply.)
A. Increased renal excretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication metabolized by the same pathway -
CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: C, E
Liver failure decreases metabolism and thus increase the concentration of
medication. This may require decreasing the dosage of medication. When
two medications are metabolized in the same way, they may compete for
PREPARATION EXAM WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
A nurse is completing an assessment of a client's current medications. The
client states she also takes gingko biloba. Which of the following medications
is contraindicated for a client taking gingko biloba?
A. Acetampinophen
B. Warfarin
C. Digoxin
D. Lisinopril - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: B
Warfarin is contraindicated for a client taking gingko biloba due to the risk of
bleeding or hemorrhage.
A nurse is reviewing the health care record of a client who has a prescription
for conjugated equine estrogens. In which of the following conditions is the
use of estrogens contraindicated?
A. Atrophic vaginitis
B. Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
C. Osteoporosis
D. Thrombophlebitis - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: D
Estrogen increases the risk of thrombolytic events.
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding and atrophic vaginitis can occur when there is
estrogen deficiency. This medication is used to treat these conditions.
Women are at risk for osteoporosis after the onset of menopause. Estrogen is
used to slow the progression of osteoporosis.
A client is prescribed phenobarbital sodium (Luminal) for a seizure disorder.
The medication has a long half-life of 4 days. Based on this half-life, the
medication will most likely be prescribed
A. once a day.
B. twice a day.
C. three times a day.
D. four times a day. - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: A
Medication with long half-lives remain at their therapeutic levels between
doses for long periods of time. Therefore, this medication can be
administered once a day.
,A nurse is explaining the mechanism of action of combination oral
contraceptives to a group of clients. The nurse should tell the clients that
which of the following actions occur with the use of combination oral
contraceptives? (Select all that apply.)
A. Thickening the cervical mucosa
B. Inducing maturation of ovarian follicle
C. Increasing the development of the corpus luteum
D. Altering the endometrial lining.
E. Inhibiting ovulation - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: A, D, E
I don't understand any of these rationales.
A nurse is providing teaching to a female client who is taking testosterone to
treat advanced breast cancer. The nurse should tell the client that which of
the following are adverse effects of this medication?
A. Deepening voice
B. Male pattern baldness
C. Sedation
D. Constipation
E. Facial hair - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: A, B, E
Excitation and insomnia are adverse effects of this medication, not sedation.
Diarrhea is an adverse effect, not constipation.
A nurse is providing teaching to a client who is to start alfuzosin for
treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Which of the following is an
adverse effect of this medication?
A. Rash
B. Edema
C. Hypotension
D. Jaundice - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: C
Alfuzosin relaxes muscle tone in veins and cardiac output decreases, which
leads to hypotension. Clients taking this medication are advised to rise
slowly from a sitting or lying position.
A nurse is caring for a client who has angina and asks about obtaining a
prescription for sildenafil (Viagra) to treat erectile dysfunction. Which of the
following medications should not be taken concurrently with sildenafil?
A. Ranolazine
B. Isosorbide
C. Clopidogrel
D. Lisinopril - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: B
Isosorbide is an organic nitrate that manages pain from angina. Concurrent
use of it is contraindicated because fatal hypotension can occur. The client
should avoid taking a nitrate medication for 24 hr after taking isosorbide.
A nurse is providing care to a client who is prescribed terbutaline by the
provider. The nurse should recognize that terbutaline is administered to
,A. stop uterine contractions.
B. prevent bleeding
C. promote placental blood flow.
D. increase prostaglandin production. - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: A
Terbutaline blocks beta2-adrenergic receptors, which causes uterine smooth
muscle relaxation. It is used to suppress preterm labor, but does not
preventing bleeding nor promotes placental blood flow. Terbutaline
suppresses uterine contractions.
A nurse in labor and delivery is caring for a client who has a new prescription
for oxytocin to stimulate uterine contractions. Which of the following are
appropriate nursing interventions? (Select all that apply.)
A. Use an infusion pump for medication administration.
B. Provide continuous monitoring of vital signs.
C. Stop infusion if uterine contractions occur every 4 min and last 45
seconds.
D. Increase medication infusion rate rapidly.
E. Monitor FHR continuously. - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: A, B, E
Vital signs must be monitored to assess for hypertension, an adverse effect.
Continuous FHR monitoring is required to assess for fetal distress.
Infusion should not be stopped because therapeutic effect has not been
achieved. Generally goal is uterine contractions that last less than 1 minute
every 2-3 minutes.
A nurse is caring for a client who has preeclampsia and is receiving IV
magnesium sulfate. Which of the following findings should the nurse report
to the provider?
A. 2+ deep tendon reflexes
B. 2+ pedal edema
C. 24 mL/hr urinary output
D. Respirations 12/min - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: C
Urine output of less than 25 to 30 mL/hr is associated with magnesium
sulfate toxicity and should be reported to the provider.
Rest of the answers are expected findings.
A nurse in labor and delivery is caring for a client who is in labor and
receiving IV opioid analgesics. Which of the following is an appropriate action
by the nurse?
A. Instruct the client to self-ambulate every 2 hrs.
B. Offer oral hygiene every 2 hr.
C. Anticipate medication administration 2 hr prior to delivery.
D. Monitor fetal heart rate every 2 hr. - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: B
Oral hygiene should be offered on a regular basis to a client receiving opioid
analgesics due to adverse effects of dry mouth, nausea, and vomiting.
, Clients should be assisted with ambulation. Opioid analgesics should not be
administered within 4 hr of delivery.
A nurse is reviewing a new prescription for terbutaline with a client who has
a history of preterm labor. Which of the following client statements indicates
understanding of the teaching?
A. "I can increase my activity now that I've started on this medication."
B. "I will increase my daily fluid intake to 3 quarts."
C. "I will report intensity of contractions to my doctor."
D. "I am gland this will prevent preterm labor." - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: C
The client should report increasing intensity, frequency, or duration of
contractions to provider because these are manifestations of preterm labor.
Fluid intake should be no more than 2,400 mL/day. Terbutaline delays
preterm labor, it does not prevent it.
A nurse is preparing to administer auranofin for a client who has rheumatoid
arthritis. The nurse should monitor the client for which of the following
adverse effects of this medication? (Select all that apply.)
A. Insomnia
B. Stomatitis
C. Visual changes
D. Bruising
E. Pruritus - CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: B, D, E
The nurse should hold the medication and notify the provider if the client
reports stomatitis. Thrombocytopenia is an adverse effect of auranofin, and
bruising is a common finding in thrombocytopenia. Hold medication and
notify. Hold med for pruritus too.
A nurse educator is reviewing medication dosages and factors that influence
medication metabolism with a group of nurses. Medication dosages may
need to be decreased for which of the following reasons? (Select all that
apply.)
A. Increased renal excretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication metabolized by the same pathway -
CORRECT-ANSWERSANS: C, E
Liver failure decreases metabolism and thus increase the concentration of
medication. This may require decreasing the dosage of medication. When
two medications are metabolized in the same way, they may compete for
