Page 1 of 837
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Chapter 1. Introduction: The Nature of Drugs & Drug Development & Regulation
1. A nurse working in radiology administers iodine to a patient who is having a
computed tomography (CT) scan. The nurse working on the oncology unit
administers chemotherapy to patients who have cancer. At the Public Health
Department, a nurse administers a measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine to
a 14-month-old child as a routine immunization. Which branch of
pharmacology best describes the actions of all three nurses?
A) Pharmacoeconomics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacodynamics
D) Pharmacokinetics
Ans: B
Feedback:
, Page 3 of 837
Pharmacology is the study of the biologic effects of chemicals. Nurses are
involved with clinical pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics, which is a
branch of pharmacology that deals with the uses of drugs to treat, prevent,
and diagnose disease. The radiology nurse is administering a drug to help
diagnose a disease. The oncology nurse is administering a drug to help treat a
disease. Pharmacoeconomics includes any costs involved in drug therapy.
Pharmacodynamics involves how a drug affects the body and
pharmacokinetics is how the body acts on the body.
2. A physician has ordered intramuscular (IM) injections of morphine, a
narcotic, every 4 hours as needed for pain in a motor vehicle accident victim.
The nurse is aware this drug has a high abuse potential. Under what category
would morphine be classified?
A) Schedule I
B) Schedule II
, Page 4 of 837
C) Schedule III
D) Schedule IV
Ans: B
Feedback:
Narcotics with a high abuse potential are classified as Schedule II drugs
because of severe dependence liability. Schedule I drugs have high abuse
potential and no accepted medical use. Schedule III drugs have a lesser
abuse potential than II and an accepted medical use. Schedule IV drugs have
low abuse potential and limited dependence liability.
3. When involved in phase III drug evaluation studies, what responsibilities
would the nurse have?
A) Working with animals who are given experimental drugs
B) Choosing appropriate patients to be involved in the drug study
C) Monitoring and observing patients closely for adverse effects
D) Conducting research to determine effectiveness of the drug
Ans: C
Feedback:
Phase III studies involve use of a drug in a vast clinical population in which
patients are asked to record any symptoms they experience while taking the
drugs. Nurses may be responsible for helping collect and analyze the
information to be shared with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but
would not conduct research independently because nurses do not prescribe
medications. Use of animals in drug testing is done in the preclinical trials.
Select patients who are involved in phase II studies to participate in studies
where the participants have the disease the drug is intended to treat. These
patients are monitored closely for drug action and adverse effects. Phase I
studies involve healthy human volunteers who are usually paid for their
participation. Nurses may observe for adverse effects and toxicity.
4. What concept is considered when generic drugs are substituted for brand
name drugs?
A) Bioavailability
, Page 2 of 837
Chapter 1. Introduction: The Nature of Drugs & Drug Development & Regulation
1. A nurse working in radiology administers iodine to a patient who is having a
computed tomography (CT) scan. The nurse working on the oncology unit
administers chemotherapy to patients who have cancer. At the Public Health
Department, a nurse administers a measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine to
a 14-month-old child as a routine immunization. Which branch of
pharmacology best describes the actions of all three nurses?
A) Pharmacoeconomics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacodynamics
D) Pharmacokinetics
Ans: B
Feedback:
, Page 3 of 837
Pharmacology is the study of the biologic effects of chemicals. Nurses are
involved with clinical pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics, which is a
branch of pharmacology that deals with the uses of drugs to treat, prevent,
and diagnose disease. The radiology nurse is administering a drug to help
diagnose a disease. The oncology nurse is administering a drug to help treat a
disease. Pharmacoeconomics includes any costs involved in drug therapy.
Pharmacodynamics involves how a drug affects the body and
pharmacokinetics is how the body acts on the body.
2. A physician has ordered intramuscular (IM) injections of morphine, a
narcotic, every 4 hours as needed for pain in a motor vehicle accident victim.
The nurse is aware this drug has a high abuse potential. Under what category
would morphine be classified?
A) Schedule I
B) Schedule II
, Page 4 of 837
C) Schedule III
D) Schedule IV
Ans: B
Feedback:
Narcotics with a high abuse potential are classified as Schedule II drugs
because of severe dependence liability. Schedule I drugs have high abuse
potential and no accepted medical use. Schedule III drugs have a lesser
abuse potential than II and an accepted medical use. Schedule IV drugs have
low abuse potential and limited dependence liability.
3. When involved in phase III drug evaluation studies, what responsibilities
would the nurse have?
A) Working with animals who are given experimental drugs
B) Choosing appropriate patients to be involved in the drug study
C) Monitoring and observing patients closely for adverse effects
D) Conducting research to determine effectiveness of the drug
Ans: C
Feedback:
Phase III studies involve use of a drug in a vast clinical population in which
patients are asked to record any symptoms they experience while taking the
drugs. Nurses may be responsible for helping collect and analyze the
information to be shared with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but
would not conduct research independently because nurses do not prescribe
medications. Use of animals in drug testing is done in the preclinical trials.
Select patients who are involved in phase II studies to participate in studies
where the participants have the disease the drug is intended to treat. These
patients are monitored closely for drug action and adverse effects. Phase I
studies involve healthy human volunteers who are usually paid for their
participation. Nurses may observe for adverse effects and toxicity.
4. What concept is considered when generic drugs are substituted for brand
name drugs?
A) Bioavailability
