ATI RN Pharmacology Practice Exam | Complete Actual
Exam Study Guide with Verified Questions, Correct
Answers and Detailed Rationales | Latest 2026/2027 Updated
Edition – Already Graded A+
Question 1
A provider prescribes phenobarbital for a client who has a seizure disorder. The medication has a
long half-life of 4 days. How many times per day should the nurse expect to administer this
medication?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
Answer: A
Rationale: Medications with long half-lives remain at their therapeutic levels between doses for
long periods of time. The nurse should expect to administer this medication once a day.
Question 2
A staff educator is reviewing medication dosages and factors that influence medication
metabolism with a group of nurses at an in-service presentation. Which of the following factors
should the educator include as a reason to administer lower medication dosages? (Select all that
apply.)
A. Increased renal secretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes
Answer: C, E
Rationale: Liver failure decreases metabolism and thus increases the concentration of a
medication. This requires decreasing the dosage. When the same pathway metabolizes two
medications, they compete for metabolism, thereby increasing the concentration of one or both
medications. This requires decreasing the dosage of one or both medications.
Question 3
A nurse is preparing to administer eye drops to a client. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take? (Select all that apply.)
A. Have the client lie on her side.
pg. 1
,B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
C. Tell the client to blink when the drops enter her eye.
D. Drop the medication into the center of the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close her eye gently after instillation.
Answer: B, D, E
Rationale: The client should look upward to keep the drops from falling onto her cornea. The
nurse should drop the medication into the center of the conjunctival sac to promote distribution.
The client should close her eye gently to promote distribution of the medication.
Question 4
A nurse is completing discharge teaching for a client who has a new prescription for transdermal
patches. Which of the following statements should the nurse identify as an indication that the
client understands the instructions?
A. "I will clean the site with an alcohol swab before I apply the patch."
B. "I will rotate the application sites weekly."
C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no hair."
D. "I will place the new patch on the site of the old patch."
Answer: C
Rationale: The client should apply the patch to a hairless area of skin to promote absorption of
the medication.
Question 5
A nurse reviewing a client's medical record notes a new prescription for verifying the trough
level of the client's medication. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Obtain a blood specimen immediately prior to administering the next dose of medication.
B. Verify that the client has been taking the medication for 24 hr before obtaining a blood
specimen.
C. Ask the client to provide a urine specimen after the next dose of medication.
D. Administer the medication, and obtain a blood specimen 30 min later.
Answer: A
Rationale: To verify trough levels of a medication, the nurse should obtain a blood specimen
immediately before administering the next dose of medication.
Question 6
A nurse is preparing a client's medications. Which of the following actions should the nurse take
in following legal practice guidelines? (Select all that apply.)
A. Maintain skill competency.
B. Determine the dosage.
C. Monitor for adverse effects.
D. Safeguard medications.
pg. 2
,E. Identify the client's diagnosis.
Answer: A, C, D
Rationale: Maintaining skill competency and using appropriate administration techniques are
legal responsibilities of the nurse. A nurse is legally responsible for monitoring for side and
adverse effects of medication. Safeguarding of medications, such as controlled substances, is a
legal responsibility of the nurse.
Question 7
A nurse reviewing a client's health record notes a new prescription for lisinopril 10 mg PO once
every day. The nurse should identify this as which of the following types of prescription?
A. Single
B. Stat
C. Routine
D. Standing
Answer: C
Rationale: A routine or standard prescription identifies medications to give on a regular
schedule with or without a termination date or a specific number of doses. The nurse will
administer this medication every day until the provider discontinues it.
Question 8
A nurse is reviewing a new prescription for ondansetron 4 mg PO PRN for nausea and vomiting
for a client who has hyperemesis gravidarum. The nurse should clarify which of the following
parts of the prescription with the provider?
A. Name
B. Dosage
C. Route
D. Frequency
Answer: D
Rationale: This prescription does not include the time or frequency of medication
administration. The nurse must clarify this with the prescribing provider.
Question 9
A nurse is admitting a client and completing a preassessment before administering medications.
Which of the following data should the nurse include in the preassessment? (Select all that
apply.)
A. Use of herbal teas
B. Daily fluid intake
C. Current health status
D. Previous surgical history
E. Food allergies
pg. 3
, Answer: A, C, E
Rationale: The nurse should inquire about the client's use of herbal products, which often
contain caffeine, prior to medication administration because caffeine can affect medication
biotransformation. The nurse should review the client's current health status because new
prescriptions can cause alterations in current health status. The nurse should inquire about food
allergies during the preassessment to identify any potential reactions or interactions.
Question 10
A nurse orienting a newly licensed nurse is reviewing the procedure for taking a telephone
prescription. Which of the following statements should the nurse identify as an indication that
the newly licensed nurse understands the process?
A. "A second nurse enters the prescription into the client's medical record."
B. "Another nurse should listen to the phone call."
C. "The provider can clarify the prescription when he signs the health record."
D. "I should omit the read back if this is a one-time prescription."
Answer: B
Rationale: A second nurse should listen to a telephone prescription to prevent errors in
communication.
Question 11
A nurse is preparing to administer vancomycin 1 g by intermittent IV bolus. Available is
vancomycin 1 g in 100 mL of dextrose 5% in water (D5W) to infuse over 45 min. The drop
factor of the manual IV tubing is 10 gtt/mL. The nurse should adjust the manual IV infusion to
deliver how many gtt/min? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing
zero.)
A. 22 gtt/min
B. 25 gtt/min
C. 20 gtt/min
D. 30 gtt/min
Answer: A
Rationale: Volume = 100 mL, Time = 45 min, Drop factor = 10 gtt/mL. gtt/min = (100 mL × 10
gtt/mL) ÷ 45 min = 1000 ÷ 45 = 22.2 = 22 gtt/min.
Question 12
A nurse is preparing to administer clindamycin 200 mg by intermittent IV bolus. The amount
available is clindamycin injection 200 mg in 100 mL 0.9% sodium chloride (0.9% NaCl) to
infuse over 30 min. The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver how many mL/hr? (Round the
answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero.)
A. 100 mL/hr
B. 150 mL/hr
pg. 4
Exam Study Guide with Verified Questions, Correct
Answers and Detailed Rationales | Latest 2026/2027 Updated
Edition – Already Graded A+
Question 1
A provider prescribes phenobarbital for a client who has a seizure disorder. The medication has a
long half-life of 4 days. How many times per day should the nurse expect to administer this
medication?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
Answer: A
Rationale: Medications with long half-lives remain at their therapeutic levels between doses for
long periods of time. The nurse should expect to administer this medication once a day.
Question 2
A staff educator is reviewing medication dosages and factors that influence medication
metabolism with a group of nurses at an in-service presentation. Which of the following factors
should the educator include as a reason to administer lower medication dosages? (Select all that
apply.)
A. Increased renal secretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes
Answer: C, E
Rationale: Liver failure decreases metabolism and thus increases the concentration of a
medication. This requires decreasing the dosage. When the same pathway metabolizes two
medications, they compete for metabolism, thereby increasing the concentration of one or both
medications. This requires decreasing the dosage of one or both medications.
Question 3
A nurse is preparing to administer eye drops to a client. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take? (Select all that apply.)
A. Have the client lie on her side.
pg. 1
,B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
C. Tell the client to blink when the drops enter her eye.
D. Drop the medication into the center of the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close her eye gently after instillation.
Answer: B, D, E
Rationale: The client should look upward to keep the drops from falling onto her cornea. The
nurse should drop the medication into the center of the conjunctival sac to promote distribution.
The client should close her eye gently to promote distribution of the medication.
Question 4
A nurse is completing discharge teaching for a client who has a new prescription for transdermal
patches. Which of the following statements should the nurse identify as an indication that the
client understands the instructions?
A. "I will clean the site with an alcohol swab before I apply the patch."
B. "I will rotate the application sites weekly."
C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no hair."
D. "I will place the new patch on the site of the old patch."
Answer: C
Rationale: The client should apply the patch to a hairless area of skin to promote absorption of
the medication.
Question 5
A nurse reviewing a client's medical record notes a new prescription for verifying the trough
level of the client's medication. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Obtain a blood specimen immediately prior to administering the next dose of medication.
B. Verify that the client has been taking the medication for 24 hr before obtaining a blood
specimen.
C. Ask the client to provide a urine specimen after the next dose of medication.
D. Administer the medication, and obtain a blood specimen 30 min later.
Answer: A
Rationale: To verify trough levels of a medication, the nurse should obtain a blood specimen
immediately before administering the next dose of medication.
Question 6
A nurse is preparing a client's medications. Which of the following actions should the nurse take
in following legal practice guidelines? (Select all that apply.)
A. Maintain skill competency.
B. Determine the dosage.
C. Monitor for adverse effects.
D. Safeguard medications.
pg. 2
,E. Identify the client's diagnosis.
Answer: A, C, D
Rationale: Maintaining skill competency and using appropriate administration techniques are
legal responsibilities of the nurse. A nurse is legally responsible for monitoring for side and
adverse effects of medication. Safeguarding of medications, such as controlled substances, is a
legal responsibility of the nurse.
Question 7
A nurse reviewing a client's health record notes a new prescription for lisinopril 10 mg PO once
every day. The nurse should identify this as which of the following types of prescription?
A. Single
B. Stat
C. Routine
D. Standing
Answer: C
Rationale: A routine or standard prescription identifies medications to give on a regular
schedule with or without a termination date or a specific number of doses. The nurse will
administer this medication every day until the provider discontinues it.
Question 8
A nurse is reviewing a new prescription for ondansetron 4 mg PO PRN for nausea and vomiting
for a client who has hyperemesis gravidarum. The nurse should clarify which of the following
parts of the prescription with the provider?
A. Name
B. Dosage
C. Route
D. Frequency
Answer: D
Rationale: This prescription does not include the time or frequency of medication
administration. The nurse must clarify this with the prescribing provider.
Question 9
A nurse is admitting a client and completing a preassessment before administering medications.
Which of the following data should the nurse include in the preassessment? (Select all that
apply.)
A. Use of herbal teas
B. Daily fluid intake
C. Current health status
D. Previous surgical history
E. Food allergies
pg. 3
, Answer: A, C, E
Rationale: The nurse should inquire about the client's use of herbal products, which often
contain caffeine, prior to medication administration because caffeine can affect medication
biotransformation. The nurse should review the client's current health status because new
prescriptions can cause alterations in current health status. The nurse should inquire about food
allergies during the preassessment to identify any potential reactions or interactions.
Question 10
A nurse orienting a newly licensed nurse is reviewing the procedure for taking a telephone
prescription. Which of the following statements should the nurse identify as an indication that
the newly licensed nurse understands the process?
A. "A second nurse enters the prescription into the client's medical record."
B. "Another nurse should listen to the phone call."
C. "The provider can clarify the prescription when he signs the health record."
D. "I should omit the read back if this is a one-time prescription."
Answer: B
Rationale: A second nurse should listen to a telephone prescription to prevent errors in
communication.
Question 11
A nurse is preparing to administer vancomycin 1 g by intermittent IV bolus. Available is
vancomycin 1 g in 100 mL of dextrose 5% in water (D5W) to infuse over 45 min. The drop
factor of the manual IV tubing is 10 gtt/mL. The nurse should adjust the manual IV infusion to
deliver how many gtt/min? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing
zero.)
A. 22 gtt/min
B. 25 gtt/min
C. 20 gtt/min
D. 30 gtt/min
Answer: A
Rationale: Volume = 100 mL, Time = 45 min, Drop factor = 10 gtt/mL. gtt/min = (100 mL × 10
gtt/mL) ÷ 45 min = 1000 ÷ 45 = 22.2 = 22 gtt/min.
Question 12
A nurse is preparing to administer clindamycin 200 mg by intermittent IV bolus. The amount
available is clindamycin injection 200 mg in 100 mL 0.9% sodium chloride (0.9% NaCl) to
infuse over 30 min. The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver how many mL/hr? (Round the
answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero.)
A. 100 mL/hr
B. 150 mL/hr
pg. 4
