The Nursing Process of Pharmacology
questions and answers25/2026
The nurse is collecting a client's health history pertinent to drug therapy. What information
should be collected? (Select all that apply.)
1) Allergy information
2) Vital signs
3) Use of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol
4) Pregnancy status - Answer 1) Allergy information
3) Use of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol
4) Pregnancy status
(Key components of drug-related health history are allergies; past medical history; current
medications; personal social history; use of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol; and pregnancy status.)
Which factor is most important for the nurse to assess when evaluating the effectiveness of a
client's drug therapy?
1) The client verbalizes compliance with drug therapy.
2) The client verbalizes satisfaction with the drug.
3) Cost of the medication
4) Evidence of therapeutic benefit - Answer 4) Evidence of therapeutic benefit
(Once pharmacotherapy is initiated, ongoing assessment is conducted to determine the presence
of therapeutic or adverse effects. Compliance and satisfaction do not guarantee that the drug is
effective. Cost does not determine effectiveness.)
-The key word is effectiveness, indicating the drug therapy has produced a desired result.
When conducting drug teaching with a hearing- impaired client, the nurse should:
1) Sit next to the client, and speak in a high-pitched, loud voice.
2) Conduct the teaching in a quiet place with limited background noise.
3) Give the client written literature only.
, 4) Direct the teaching to a family member instead of to the client. - Answer 2) Conduct the
teaching in a quiet place with limited background noise.
-Clients with hearing impairment benefit from slow, clear, low-pitched spoken communication
conducted in an area with limited background noise.
-The key term is hearing-impaired
The client has been prescribed amoxicillin (Amoxil) 500 mg q 8 h for upper respiratory
infection. Which of the following statements would indicate the need for further teaching by the
nurse?
1) "I should take my medicine until it is all gone."
2) "I should take my medicine around the clock."
3) "I should take my medicine on an empty stomach."
4) "I should discontinue my medicine when I no longer have fever and productive coughing." -
Answer 4) "I should discontinue my medicine when I no longer have fever and productive
coughing."
-Antibiotics should be taken as prescribed to avoid drug resistance and completely eradicate
infection. This includes taking the proper dose at the proper time, and taking the full prescription
even if symptoms appear to stop.
Prior to initiating drug therapy in elderly clients, the nurse should assess the results of:
1) Renal and hepatic function tests.
2) Twelve lead electrocardiogram.
3) Blood coagulation studies.
4) Chest x-ray and sputum culture. - Answer 1) Renal and hepatic function tests.
-Since most medications are metabolized and eliminated by the liver and kidneys, and the
function of these organs declines in the elderly, it is especially important for the nurse to assess
the function of these systems before medicating an elderly client. Often, lower doses of
medications are required to avoid adverse drug effects and toxicity.
-The key word is elderly.
questions and answers25/2026
The nurse is collecting a client's health history pertinent to drug therapy. What information
should be collected? (Select all that apply.)
1) Allergy information
2) Vital signs
3) Use of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol
4) Pregnancy status - Answer 1) Allergy information
3) Use of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol
4) Pregnancy status
(Key components of drug-related health history are allergies; past medical history; current
medications; personal social history; use of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol; and pregnancy status.)
Which factor is most important for the nurse to assess when evaluating the effectiveness of a
client's drug therapy?
1) The client verbalizes compliance with drug therapy.
2) The client verbalizes satisfaction with the drug.
3) Cost of the medication
4) Evidence of therapeutic benefit - Answer 4) Evidence of therapeutic benefit
(Once pharmacotherapy is initiated, ongoing assessment is conducted to determine the presence
of therapeutic or adverse effects. Compliance and satisfaction do not guarantee that the drug is
effective. Cost does not determine effectiveness.)
-The key word is effectiveness, indicating the drug therapy has produced a desired result.
When conducting drug teaching with a hearing- impaired client, the nurse should:
1) Sit next to the client, and speak in a high-pitched, loud voice.
2) Conduct the teaching in a quiet place with limited background noise.
3) Give the client written literature only.
, 4) Direct the teaching to a family member instead of to the client. - Answer 2) Conduct the
teaching in a quiet place with limited background noise.
-Clients with hearing impairment benefit from slow, clear, low-pitched spoken communication
conducted in an area with limited background noise.
-The key term is hearing-impaired
The client has been prescribed amoxicillin (Amoxil) 500 mg q 8 h for upper respiratory
infection. Which of the following statements would indicate the need for further teaching by the
nurse?
1) "I should take my medicine until it is all gone."
2) "I should take my medicine around the clock."
3) "I should take my medicine on an empty stomach."
4) "I should discontinue my medicine when I no longer have fever and productive coughing." -
Answer 4) "I should discontinue my medicine when I no longer have fever and productive
coughing."
-Antibiotics should be taken as prescribed to avoid drug resistance and completely eradicate
infection. This includes taking the proper dose at the proper time, and taking the full prescription
even if symptoms appear to stop.
Prior to initiating drug therapy in elderly clients, the nurse should assess the results of:
1) Renal and hepatic function tests.
2) Twelve lead electrocardiogram.
3) Blood coagulation studies.
4) Chest x-ray and sputum culture. - Answer 1) Renal and hepatic function tests.
-Since most medications are metabolized and eliminated by the liver and kidneys, and the
function of these organs declines in the elderly, it is especially important for the nurse to assess
the function of these systems before medicating an elderly client. Often, lower doses of
medications are required to avoid adverse drug effects and toxicity.
-The key word is elderly.
