Karch Pharmacology Ch. 1 - Introduction
to Drugs
A nurse is assessing the patient's home medication use. After listening to the patient list
current medications, the nurse asks what priority question?
a. "Do you take any generic medications?"
b. "Are any of these medications orphan drugs?"
c. "Are these medications safe to take during pregnancy?"
d. "Do you take any over-the-counter medications?" - ANS-d.
It is important for the nurse to specifically question use of over-the-counter medications
because patients may not consider them important. The patient is unlikely to know the
meaning of "orphan drugs" unless they too are health care providers. Safety during
pregnancy, use of a generic medication, or classification of orphan drugs are things the
patient would be unable to answer but could be found in reference books if the nurse wishes
to research them.
\A nurse is instructing a pregnant patient concerning the potential risk to her fetus from a
Pregnancy Category B drug. What would the nurse inform the patient?
a. "Adequate studies in pregnant women have demonstrated there is no risk to the fetus."
b. "Animal studies have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus, but there have been no
adequate studies in pregnant women."
c. "Animal studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus, but there are no adequate
studies in pregnant women."
d. "There is evidence of human fetal risk, but the potential benefits from use of the drug may
be acceptable despite potential risks." - ANS-b.
Category B indicates that animal studies have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus. However,
there have not been adequate studies in pregnant women to demonstrate risk to a fetus
during the first trimester of pregnancy and no evidence of risk in later trimesters. Category A
indicates that adequate studies in pregnant women have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus
in the first trimester or in later trimesters. Category C indicates that animal studies have
shown an adverse effect on the fetus, but no adequate studies in humans. Category D
reveals evidence of human fetal risk, but the potential benefits from the use of the drugs in
pregnant women may outweigh potential risks.
\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.
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.
\A patient asks the nurse, "What is a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) number?" What is the
nurse's best response?
a. "DEA Numbers are given to physicians and pharmacists when they register with the DEA
to prescribe and dispense controlled substances."
b. "Physicians must have a DEA number in order to prescribe any type of medication for
patients."
c. "DEA numbers are case numbers given when someone breaks the law involving a
controlled substance."
d. "DEA numbers are contact numbers to talk with someone at the DEA when questions
arise about controlled substances." - ANS-a.
All pharmacists and physicians must register with the DEA. They are given numbers that are
required before they can dispense or prescribe controlled substances. DEA numbers are
only needed when prescribing controlled substances. A DEA number is neither a case
number nor a phone number.
\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
c. Schedule III
d. Schedule IV - ANS-b.
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.
\After administering a medication, for what would the nurse assess the patient?
a. Drug effects
b. Allergies
c. Pregnancy
d. Preexisting conditions - ANS-a.
to Drugs
A nurse is assessing the patient's home medication use. After listening to the patient list
current medications, the nurse asks what priority question?
a. "Do you take any generic medications?"
b. "Are any of these medications orphan drugs?"
c. "Are these medications safe to take during pregnancy?"
d. "Do you take any over-the-counter medications?" - ANS-d.
It is important for the nurse to specifically question use of over-the-counter medications
because patients may not consider them important. The patient is unlikely to know the
meaning of "orphan drugs" unless they too are health care providers. Safety during
pregnancy, use of a generic medication, or classification of orphan drugs are things the
patient would be unable to answer but could be found in reference books if the nurse wishes
to research them.
\A nurse is instructing a pregnant patient concerning the potential risk to her fetus from a
Pregnancy Category B drug. What would the nurse inform the patient?
a. "Adequate studies in pregnant women have demonstrated there is no risk to the fetus."
b. "Animal studies have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus, but there have been no
adequate studies in pregnant women."
c. "Animal studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus, but there are no adequate
studies in pregnant women."
d. "There is evidence of human fetal risk, but the potential benefits from use of the drug may
be acceptable despite potential risks." - ANS-b.
Category B indicates that animal studies have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus. However,
there have not been adequate studies in pregnant women to demonstrate risk to a fetus
during the first trimester of pregnancy and no evidence of risk in later trimesters. Category A
indicates that adequate studies in pregnant women have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus
in the first trimester or in later trimesters. Category C indicates that animal studies have
shown an adverse effect on the fetus, but no adequate studies in humans. Category D
reveals evidence of human fetal risk, but the potential benefits from the use of the drugs in
pregnant women may outweigh potential risks.
\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.
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.
\A patient asks the nurse, "What is a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) number?" What is the
nurse's best response?
a. "DEA Numbers are given to physicians and pharmacists when they register with the DEA
to prescribe and dispense controlled substances."
b. "Physicians must have a DEA number in order to prescribe any type of medication for
patients."
c. "DEA numbers are case numbers given when someone breaks the law involving a
controlled substance."
d. "DEA numbers are contact numbers to talk with someone at the DEA when questions
arise about controlled substances." - ANS-a.
All pharmacists and physicians must register with the DEA. They are given numbers that are
required before they can dispense or prescribe controlled substances. DEA numbers are
only needed when prescribing controlled substances. A DEA number is neither a case
number nor a phone number.
\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
c. Schedule III
d. Schedule IV - ANS-b.
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.
\After administering a medication, for what would the nurse assess the patient?
a. Drug effects
b. Allergies
c. Pregnancy
d. Preexisting conditions - ANS-a.
