BASIC CONCEPTS OF
PHARMACOLOGY FOR NURSING
STUDENTS-QUESTIONS ANS
ANSWERS
1. A nurse is assessing the client's home medication use. After listening to the client 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) "Do you take any over-
the-counter medications?"
2. Which classification applies to Morphine?
A) central nervous system depressant
B) central nervous system stimulant
C) anti-inflammatory
D) antihypertensive - ANS>>A) central nervous system depressant
3. While studying for the test, a nursing student encounters the following drug: ibuprofen
(Motrin). What does the nursing student identify the name ibuprofen as?
A) The generic name
B) The chemical name
C) The brand name
D) The chemical and generic name - ANS>>A) The generic name
4. A nurse is teaching the client about the use of over the counter (OTC) drugs. Which
statement best informs the client about their use?
A) "OTC drugs are products that are available without prescription for self-treatment of
minor health issues."
B) "OTC drugs are considered medication and should be reported on a drug history."
C) "OTC drugs were approved as prescription drugs but later were found to be safe
without the need of a prescription."
D) "OTC drugs need to be taken with caution; they can mask the signs and symptoms
of an underlying disease and interfere with prescription drug therapy." - ANS>>D) "OTC
drugs need to be taken with caution; they can mask the signs and symptoms of an
underlying disease and interfere with prescription drug therapy."
,5. Which term is used to describe the study of drugs and their action on living
organism?
A) Pharmacology
B) Microbiology
C) Biology
D) Pharmacotherapeutics - ANS>>A) Pharmacology
6. A health care facility is complying with the mandates of The Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) concerning Schedule II medications when implementing which
nursing intervention? Select all that apply.
A) Assess to narcotics is controlled by key or codes.
B) Narcotics are administered by prescriptions only.
C) Only selected narcotics may be automatically renewed.
D) The administration of individual narcotic doses are recorded in specific unit
documentation.
E) Any recognized discrepancy involving a narcotic must be reported to the appropriate
facility authority. - ANS>>A) Assess to narcotics is controlled by key or codes.
B) Narcotics are administered by prescriptions only.
D) The administration of individual narcotic doses are recorded in specific unit
documentation.
E) Any recognized discrepancy involving a narcotic must be reported to the appropriate
facility authority.
7.Which organization is responsible for approving new drugs in the United States?
A) American Medical Association (AMA)
B) American Pharmaceutical Association (APA)
C) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
D) United States Pharmacopeia - ANS>>C) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
8. A nursing student in a pharmacology class should be encouraged to study the
medications according to which categorization? Select all that apply.
A) prototype
B) controlled substance
C) drug use
D) generic names
E) therapeutic classification - ANS>>A) prototype
E) therapeutic classification
9. A client is confused and has stated to the nurse, "I wasn't sure whether I'm supposed
to take Tylenol or acetaminophen." To best address the client's concern, the nurse
should base the response on what information concerning generic and trade names?
,A) Prescribers should refer solely to generic names in their recommendations and
written prescriptions.
B) A generic name is independent of any particular drug manufacturer.
C) Generic names change frequently, but trade names are more consistent.
D) Prescribers should refer solely to trade names in their recommendations and written
prescriptions - ANS>>B) A generic name is independent of any particular drug
manufacturer.
10. A client's current medication administration record includes a drug that the nurse
recognizes as an Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) high-alert medication.
This designation signals the nurse to what characteristic of the drug?
A) It can only be administered by a health care provider or advanced practice nurse.
B) Administration must be cosigned by a second registered nurse or practical/vocational
nurse.
C) It is currently undergoing Phase 4 testing and is pending full FDA approval.
D) Administration errors carry a heightened risk of causing significant client harm. -
ANS>>D) Administration errors carry a heightened risk of causing significant client
harm.
11. A hospital nurse is vigilant in ensuring the safe use of medications and consistently
applies the rights of medication administration. What are the rights of medication
administration? Select all that apply.
A) right to refuse prescribed medication
B) right route for effective medication therapy
C) right to effective medication education
D) right evaluation of expected results
E) right to low-cost medication therapy - ANS>>A) right to refuse prescribed medication
B) right route for effective medication therapy
C) right to effective medication education
D) right evaluation of expected results
12. The nurse is caring for an older adult who needs to know that drugs, even when
taken correctly, can produce negative or unexpected effects. The nurse should address
what topic during health education?
A) Teratogenic effects
B) Toxic effects
C) Adverse effects
D) Paradoxical effects - ANS>>C) Adverse effects
13. Which process occurs between the time the drug enters the body and the time that it
enters the bloodstream?
, A) absorption
B) distribution
C) metabolism
D) excretion - ANS>>A) absorption
14. Which site is preferred when consideration must be made to identifying an
exceptionally large surface area for drug absorption?
A) rectum
B) fundus of the stomach
C) esophagus
D) lungs - ANS>>D) lungs
15. An older adult client has an elevated serum creatinine level. This client is at greatest
risk for which medication-related effect?
A) toxicity
B) increased absorption
C) delayed gastric emptying
D) idiosyncratic effects - ANS>>A) toxicity
16. What is the primary role of protein binding on drug action?
A) increasing the medication's speed of action
B) decreasing the medication's speed of action
C) increasing the rate of the medication's excretion
D) averting the risk of adverse effects posed by the medication - ANS>>B) decreasing
the medication's speed of action
17. The nurse is aware that it requires approximately how many half-lives for a client to
excrete a medication from the body?
A) 4-5
B) 10-12
C) 20-25
D) 5-100 - ANS>>A) 4-5
18. Which statement accurately describes the concept of a medication's serum half-life?
A) the time required for IV medications to penetrate the brain tissue
B) the time needed for the serum level to fall by 50%
C) the safest margin to prevent toxicity
D) the dose adjustment that reduces the risk of adverse effects by one half - ANS>>B)
the time needed for the serum level to fall by 50%
PHARMACOLOGY FOR NURSING
STUDENTS-QUESTIONS ANS
ANSWERS
1. A nurse is assessing the client's home medication use. After listening to the client 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) "Do you take any over-
the-counter medications?"
2. Which classification applies to Morphine?
A) central nervous system depressant
B) central nervous system stimulant
C) anti-inflammatory
D) antihypertensive - ANS>>A) central nervous system depressant
3. While studying for the test, a nursing student encounters the following drug: ibuprofen
(Motrin). What does the nursing student identify the name ibuprofen as?
A) The generic name
B) The chemical name
C) The brand name
D) The chemical and generic name - ANS>>A) The generic name
4. A nurse is teaching the client about the use of over the counter (OTC) drugs. Which
statement best informs the client about their use?
A) "OTC drugs are products that are available without prescription for self-treatment of
minor health issues."
B) "OTC drugs are considered medication and should be reported on a drug history."
C) "OTC drugs were approved as prescription drugs but later were found to be safe
without the need of a prescription."
D) "OTC drugs need to be taken with caution; they can mask the signs and symptoms
of an underlying disease and interfere with prescription drug therapy." - ANS>>D) "OTC
drugs need to be taken with caution; they can mask the signs and symptoms of an
underlying disease and interfere with prescription drug therapy."
,5. Which term is used to describe the study of drugs and their action on living
organism?
A) Pharmacology
B) Microbiology
C) Biology
D) Pharmacotherapeutics - ANS>>A) Pharmacology
6. A health care facility is complying with the mandates of The Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) concerning Schedule II medications when implementing which
nursing intervention? Select all that apply.
A) Assess to narcotics is controlled by key or codes.
B) Narcotics are administered by prescriptions only.
C) Only selected narcotics may be automatically renewed.
D) The administration of individual narcotic doses are recorded in specific unit
documentation.
E) Any recognized discrepancy involving a narcotic must be reported to the appropriate
facility authority. - ANS>>A) Assess to narcotics is controlled by key or codes.
B) Narcotics are administered by prescriptions only.
D) The administration of individual narcotic doses are recorded in specific unit
documentation.
E) Any recognized discrepancy involving a narcotic must be reported to the appropriate
facility authority.
7.Which organization is responsible for approving new drugs in the United States?
A) American Medical Association (AMA)
B) American Pharmaceutical Association (APA)
C) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
D) United States Pharmacopeia - ANS>>C) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
8. A nursing student in a pharmacology class should be encouraged to study the
medications according to which categorization? Select all that apply.
A) prototype
B) controlled substance
C) drug use
D) generic names
E) therapeutic classification - ANS>>A) prototype
E) therapeutic classification
9. A client is confused and has stated to the nurse, "I wasn't sure whether I'm supposed
to take Tylenol or acetaminophen." To best address the client's concern, the nurse
should base the response on what information concerning generic and trade names?
,A) Prescribers should refer solely to generic names in their recommendations and
written prescriptions.
B) A generic name is independent of any particular drug manufacturer.
C) Generic names change frequently, but trade names are more consistent.
D) Prescribers should refer solely to trade names in their recommendations and written
prescriptions - ANS>>B) A generic name is independent of any particular drug
manufacturer.
10. A client's current medication administration record includes a drug that the nurse
recognizes as an Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) high-alert medication.
This designation signals the nurse to what characteristic of the drug?
A) It can only be administered by a health care provider or advanced practice nurse.
B) Administration must be cosigned by a second registered nurse or practical/vocational
nurse.
C) It is currently undergoing Phase 4 testing and is pending full FDA approval.
D) Administration errors carry a heightened risk of causing significant client harm. -
ANS>>D) Administration errors carry a heightened risk of causing significant client
harm.
11. A hospital nurse is vigilant in ensuring the safe use of medications and consistently
applies the rights of medication administration. What are the rights of medication
administration? Select all that apply.
A) right to refuse prescribed medication
B) right route for effective medication therapy
C) right to effective medication education
D) right evaluation of expected results
E) right to low-cost medication therapy - ANS>>A) right to refuse prescribed medication
B) right route for effective medication therapy
C) right to effective medication education
D) right evaluation of expected results
12. The nurse is caring for an older adult who needs to know that drugs, even when
taken correctly, can produce negative or unexpected effects. The nurse should address
what topic during health education?
A) Teratogenic effects
B) Toxic effects
C) Adverse effects
D) Paradoxical effects - ANS>>C) Adverse effects
13. Which process occurs between the time the drug enters the body and the time that it
enters the bloodstream?
, A) absorption
B) distribution
C) metabolism
D) excretion - ANS>>A) absorption
14. Which site is preferred when consideration must be made to identifying an
exceptionally large surface area for drug absorption?
A) rectum
B) fundus of the stomach
C) esophagus
D) lungs - ANS>>D) lungs
15. An older adult client has an elevated serum creatinine level. This client is at greatest
risk for which medication-related effect?
A) toxicity
B) increased absorption
C) delayed gastric emptying
D) idiosyncratic effects - ANS>>A) toxicity
16. What is the primary role of protein binding on drug action?
A) increasing the medication's speed of action
B) decreasing the medication's speed of action
C) increasing the rate of the medication's excretion
D) averting the risk of adverse effects posed by the medication - ANS>>B) decreasing
the medication's speed of action
17. The nurse is aware that it requires approximately how many half-lives for a client to
excrete a medication from the body?
A) 4-5
B) 10-12
C) 20-25
D) 5-100 - ANS>>A) 4-5
18. Which statement accurately describes the concept of a medication's serum half-life?
A) the time required for IV medications to penetrate the brain tissue
B) the time needed for the serum level to fall by 50%
C) the safest margin to prevent toxicity
D) the dose adjustment that reduces the risk of adverse effects by one half - ANS>>B)
the time needed for the serum level to fall by 50%
