BSN 315 HESI RN Specialty Pharmacology
Exam V1 (Latest Update 2025/2026) | 75
Questions and Answers | 100% Correct |
Grade A – Nightingale
Instructions
This exam contains 75 NCLEX-style questions for the BSN 315 HESI RN Specialty
Pharmacology Exam V1 (2024/2025) at Nightingale College. Questions cover key topics,
including drug administration, dosage calculations, patient education, adverse effects, and
nursing considerations for major drug classes (cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine,
gastrointestinal, neurological, and anti-infective). Read each question carefully and select the
best answer(s). For "Select all that apply" questions, choose all correct options. Answers are
provided in blue, with rationales immediately following each question. The review is divided
into sections: Drug Administration and Safety, Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Respiratory
Pharmacology, Endocrine Pharmacology, Gastrointestinal Pharmacology, Neurological
Pharmacology, and Anti-Infective Pharmacology. Use this resource to ensure a comprehensive
review for a guaranteed pass.
Section 1: Drug Administration and Safety (Questions 1–15)
1. A nurse is preparing to administer a nasal spray hormone calcitonin to a client with
osteoporosis. To reduce rhinitis associated with administration, what instruction
should the nurse provide?
A. Administer during meals
B. Use a decongestant prior to administration
C. Alternate nostrils with each dose
D. Avoid nasal sprays entirely
Answer: Use a decongestant prior to administration
Rationale: Using a decongestant before calcitonin nasal spray reduces rhinitis by
clearing nasal passages, ensuring effective drug delivery.
2. A nurse is administering subcutaneous enoxaparin. Which action is appropriate?
A. Massage the injection site
B. Inject into the deltoid muscle
, C. Administer into the abdomen
D. Use a 20-gauge needle
Answer: Administer into the abdomen
Rationale: Enoxaparin, a low-molecular-weight heparin, is administered into the
abdomen, 2 inches from the umbilicus, using a 25–26-gauge needle. Massaging the site
or injecting into the deltoid is incorrect.
3. A client is prescribed ciprofloxacin 400 mg IV every 12 hours to be infused over 1
hour. The IV bag contains 400 mg in 200 mL D5W. How many mL/hr should the
nurse program the infusion pump to deliver?
A. 100 mL/hr
B. 200 mL/hr
C. 300 mL/hr
D. 400 mL/hr
Answer: 200 mL/hr
Rationale: The entire 200 mL bag is infused over 1 hour, so the pump is set to 200
mL/hr.
4. A nurse is preparing to administer an IV push medication. What is a key nursing
action?
A. Administer rapidly to ensure efficacy
B. Verify compatibility with IV fluids
C. Skip checking the medication order
D. Inject without flushing the line
Answer: Verify compatibility with IV fluids
Rationale: Verifying compatibility prevents adverse reactions from incompatible fluids
or medications.
5. A client being discharged is prescribed an oral antibiotic with a dosage three times
higher than in the hospital. Which route should the nurse anticipate has the greatest
first-pass effect?
A. Oral
B. Sublingual
C. Intravenous
D. Subcutaneous
Answer: Oral
Rationale: Oral medications undergo significant first-pass metabolism in the liver,
reducing bioavailability compared to other routes.
6. A nurse is calculating a dose of 0.25 mg/kg for a client weighing 60 kg. How many
mg should the nurse administer?
A. 10 mg
, B. 15 mg
C. 20 mg
D. 25 mg
Answer: 15 mg
Rationale: 0.25 mg/kg × 60 kg = 15 mg.
7. What is a key safety step before administering any medication?
A. Skip patient identification
B. Verify patient identity with two identifiers
C. Administer without checking allergies
D. Ignore the five rights
Answer: Verify patient identity with two identifiers
Rationale: Verifying identity ensures the right patient receives the medication.
8. A client with a penicillin allergy is prescribed cephalexin. What should the nurse
do?
A. Administer as ordered
B. Question the order
C. Administer with an antihistamine
D. Document as normal
Answer: Question the order
Rationale: Cephalexin, a cephalosporin, has cross-allergy with penicillins and is
contraindicated.
9. A nurse identifies a medication error. What is the appropriate action?
A. Ignore the error
B. Report to the provider and document
C. Administer a second dose
D. Avoid informing the client
Answer: Report to the provider and document
Rationale: Reporting and documenting errors ensures patient safety and follow-up.
10. What should a nurse teach a client about medication adherence? (Select all that
apply)
A. Take medications as prescribed
B. Skip doses if feeling better
C. Report side effects to the provider
D. Store medications in a cool, dry place
E. Share medications with others
Answer: Take medications as prescribed, Report side effects to the provider, Store
medications in a cool, dry place
Exam V1 (Latest Update 2025/2026) | 75
Questions and Answers | 100% Correct |
Grade A – Nightingale
Instructions
This exam contains 75 NCLEX-style questions for the BSN 315 HESI RN Specialty
Pharmacology Exam V1 (2024/2025) at Nightingale College. Questions cover key topics,
including drug administration, dosage calculations, patient education, adverse effects, and
nursing considerations for major drug classes (cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine,
gastrointestinal, neurological, and anti-infective). Read each question carefully and select the
best answer(s). For "Select all that apply" questions, choose all correct options. Answers are
provided in blue, with rationales immediately following each question. The review is divided
into sections: Drug Administration and Safety, Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Respiratory
Pharmacology, Endocrine Pharmacology, Gastrointestinal Pharmacology, Neurological
Pharmacology, and Anti-Infective Pharmacology. Use this resource to ensure a comprehensive
review for a guaranteed pass.
Section 1: Drug Administration and Safety (Questions 1–15)
1. A nurse is preparing to administer a nasal spray hormone calcitonin to a client with
osteoporosis. To reduce rhinitis associated with administration, what instruction
should the nurse provide?
A. Administer during meals
B. Use a decongestant prior to administration
C. Alternate nostrils with each dose
D. Avoid nasal sprays entirely
Answer: Use a decongestant prior to administration
Rationale: Using a decongestant before calcitonin nasal spray reduces rhinitis by
clearing nasal passages, ensuring effective drug delivery.
2. A nurse is administering subcutaneous enoxaparin. Which action is appropriate?
A. Massage the injection site
B. Inject into the deltoid muscle
, C. Administer into the abdomen
D. Use a 20-gauge needle
Answer: Administer into the abdomen
Rationale: Enoxaparin, a low-molecular-weight heparin, is administered into the
abdomen, 2 inches from the umbilicus, using a 25–26-gauge needle. Massaging the site
or injecting into the deltoid is incorrect.
3. A client is prescribed ciprofloxacin 400 mg IV every 12 hours to be infused over 1
hour. The IV bag contains 400 mg in 200 mL D5W. How many mL/hr should the
nurse program the infusion pump to deliver?
A. 100 mL/hr
B. 200 mL/hr
C. 300 mL/hr
D. 400 mL/hr
Answer: 200 mL/hr
Rationale: The entire 200 mL bag is infused over 1 hour, so the pump is set to 200
mL/hr.
4. A nurse is preparing to administer an IV push medication. What is a key nursing
action?
A. Administer rapidly to ensure efficacy
B. Verify compatibility with IV fluids
C. Skip checking the medication order
D. Inject without flushing the line
Answer: Verify compatibility with IV fluids
Rationale: Verifying compatibility prevents adverse reactions from incompatible fluids
or medications.
5. A client being discharged is prescribed an oral antibiotic with a dosage three times
higher than in the hospital. Which route should the nurse anticipate has the greatest
first-pass effect?
A. Oral
B. Sublingual
C. Intravenous
D. Subcutaneous
Answer: Oral
Rationale: Oral medications undergo significant first-pass metabolism in the liver,
reducing bioavailability compared to other routes.
6. A nurse is calculating a dose of 0.25 mg/kg for a client weighing 60 kg. How many
mg should the nurse administer?
A. 10 mg
, B. 15 mg
C. 20 mg
D. 25 mg
Answer: 15 mg
Rationale: 0.25 mg/kg × 60 kg = 15 mg.
7. What is a key safety step before administering any medication?
A. Skip patient identification
B. Verify patient identity with two identifiers
C. Administer without checking allergies
D. Ignore the five rights
Answer: Verify patient identity with two identifiers
Rationale: Verifying identity ensures the right patient receives the medication.
8. A client with a penicillin allergy is prescribed cephalexin. What should the nurse
do?
A. Administer as ordered
B. Question the order
C. Administer with an antihistamine
D. Document as normal
Answer: Question the order
Rationale: Cephalexin, a cephalosporin, has cross-allergy with penicillins and is
contraindicated.
9. A nurse identifies a medication error. What is the appropriate action?
A. Ignore the error
B. Report to the provider and document
C. Administer a second dose
D. Avoid informing the client
Answer: Report to the provider and document
Rationale: Reporting and documenting errors ensures patient safety and follow-up.
10. What should a nurse teach a client about medication adherence? (Select all that
apply)
A. Take medications as prescribed
B. Skip doses if feeling better
C. Report side effects to the provider
D. Store medications in a cool, dry place
E. Share medications with others
Answer: Take medications as prescribed, Report side effects to the provider, Store
medications in a cool, dry place
