NURS 1150 Exam 1 Actual Exam V3 | NURS 1150 Nurse Pharmacology
I (NURS1150 Exam 1) | Northwest College (NWC)
1. Which process of pharmacokinetics involves the movement of a drug from its site of
administration into the bloodstream?
A. Metabolism
B. Excretion
C. Distribution
D. Absorption
Answer: D
Rationale: Absorption is the movement of a drug into the bloodstream after
administration. It is influenced by the route of delivery and the drug’s solubility. Factors
like blood flow to the site of administration also play a critical role in the speed of
absorption.
2. A patient is taking a drug with a narrow therapeutic index. What is the most important
nursing intervention?
A. Encourage the patient to drink more water.
B. Administer the drug at bedtime only.
C. Assess for signs of polypharmacy.
D. Monitor blood levels of the drug closely.
Answer: D
Rationale: A narrow therapeutic index means the difference between a therapeutic dose
and a toxic dose is very small. Monitoring serum drug levels is essential to ensure the
patient remains within the safe range. Failure to monitor could lead to severe toxicity or
lack of efficacy.
3. The nurse is preparing to administer a medication. Which ‘right’ of medication
administration is confirmed by checking the patient’s ID band?
A. Right Route
B. Right Time
C. Right Patient
D. Right Dose
Answer: C
,Rationale: Confirming the patient’s identity via two identifiers like an ID band and
name/DOB ensures the ‘Right Patient.’ This is a critical safety step to prevent medication
errors. The Joint Commission requires at least two patient identifiers before any clinical
procedure.
4. Which organ is primarily responsible for the metabolism of medications?
A. Liver
B. Lungs
C. Kidneys
D. Small Intestine
Answer: A
Rationale: The liver is the primary site for biotransformation or metabolism of drugs. It
uses enzymes such as the cytochrome P450 system to convert drugs into water-soluble
metabolites. Impaired liver function can lead to drug accumulation and toxicity.
5. What does the ‘first-pass effect’ refer to in pharmacology?
A. The first time a patient receives a medication.
B. The excretion of a drug through the kidneys on the first cycle.
C. Metabolism of a drug by the liver before it reaches systemic circulation.
D. The binding of a drug to plasma proteins immediately after absorption.
Answer: C
Rationale: The first-pass effect occurs when orally administered drugs pass through the
portal vein to the liver. A large portion of the drug may be metabolized before it ever
reaches the rest of the body. This is why oral doses are often much higher than intravenous
doses of the same drug.
6. A physician orders 500 mg of a medication. The available tablets are 250 mg each. How
many tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 2 tablets
B. 1 tablet
C. 0.5 tablets
D. 4 tablets
Answer: A
Rationale: To calculate the dose, divide the ordered amount (500 mg) by the available
strength (250 mg). 500 divided by 250 equals 2. Therefore, the nurse should administer
exactly two tablets.
, 7. Under the Controlled Substances Act, which schedule of drugs has a high potential for
abuse but is accepted for medical use?
A. Schedule I
B. Schedule IV
C. Schedule II
D. Schedule V
Answer: C
Rationale: Schedule II drugs have a high abuse potential that may lead to severe physical
or psychological dependence. Unlike Schedule I, these drugs have a currently accepted
medical use in treatment. Examples include morphine, oxycodone, and methylphenidate.
8. Which of the following describes an ‘agonist’ drug?
A. A drug that blocks a receptor site.
B. A drug that prevents other chemicals from binding.
C. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a response.
D. A drug that speeds up the excretion of other drugs.
Answer: C
Rationale: An agonist is a medication that mimics the action of endogenous substances at
the receptor site. By binding to the receptor, it triggers a specific physiological response.
This is contrasted with an antagonist, which inhibits receptor activity.
9. What is the priority nursing action if a medication error occurs?
A. Complete an incident report immediately.
B. Notify the physician.
C. Assess the patient’s condition.
D. Notify the nursing supervisor.
Answer: C
Rationale: The patient’s safety is always the first priority when an error is identified.
Assessing the patient for adverse effects allows the nurse to intervene early. Reporting and
notification follow once the patient’s stability is established.
10. A patient has a serum creatinine level of 3.2 mg/dL (Normal: 0.6-1.2 mg/dL). Which
pharmacokinetic phase is most likely affected?
A. Absorption
B. Excretion
I (NURS1150 Exam 1) | Northwest College (NWC)
1. Which process of pharmacokinetics involves the movement of a drug from its site of
administration into the bloodstream?
A. Metabolism
B. Excretion
C. Distribution
D. Absorption
Answer: D
Rationale: Absorption is the movement of a drug into the bloodstream after
administration. It is influenced by the route of delivery and the drug’s solubility. Factors
like blood flow to the site of administration also play a critical role in the speed of
absorption.
2. A patient is taking a drug with a narrow therapeutic index. What is the most important
nursing intervention?
A. Encourage the patient to drink more water.
B. Administer the drug at bedtime only.
C. Assess for signs of polypharmacy.
D. Monitor blood levels of the drug closely.
Answer: D
Rationale: A narrow therapeutic index means the difference between a therapeutic dose
and a toxic dose is very small. Monitoring serum drug levels is essential to ensure the
patient remains within the safe range. Failure to monitor could lead to severe toxicity or
lack of efficacy.
3. The nurse is preparing to administer a medication. Which ‘right’ of medication
administration is confirmed by checking the patient’s ID band?
A. Right Route
B. Right Time
C. Right Patient
D. Right Dose
Answer: C
,Rationale: Confirming the patient’s identity via two identifiers like an ID band and
name/DOB ensures the ‘Right Patient.’ This is a critical safety step to prevent medication
errors. The Joint Commission requires at least two patient identifiers before any clinical
procedure.
4. Which organ is primarily responsible for the metabolism of medications?
A. Liver
B. Lungs
C. Kidneys
D. Small Intestine
Answer: A
Rationale: The liver is the primary site for biotransformation or metabolism of drugs. It
uses enzymes such as the cytochrome P450 system to convert drugs into water-soluble
metabolites. Impaired liver function can lead to drug accumulation and toxicity.
5. What does the ‘first-pass effect’ refer to in pharmacology?
A. The first time a patient receives a medication.
B. The excretion of a drug through the kidneys on the first cycle.
C. Metabolism of a drug by the liver before it reaches systemic circulation.
D. The binding of a drug to plasma proteins immediately after absorption.
Answer: C
Rationale: The first-pass effect occurs when orally administered drugs pass through the
portal vein to the liver. A large portion of the drug may be metabolized before it ever
reaches the rest of the body. This is why oral doses are often much higher than intravenous
doses of the same drug.
6. A physician orders 500 mg of a medication. The available tablets are 250 mg each. How
many tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 2 tablets
B. 1 tablet
C. 0.5 tablets
D. 4 tablets
Answer: A
Rationale: To calculate the dose, divide the ordered amount (500 mg) by the available
strength (250 mg). 500 divided by 250 equals 2. Therefore, the nurse should administer
exactly two tablets.
, 7. Under the Controlled Substances Act, which schedule of drugs has a high potential for
abuse but is accepted for medical use?
A. Schedule I
B. Schedule IV
C. Schedule II
D. Schedule V
Answer: C
Rationale: Schedule II drugs have a high abuse potential that may lead to severe physical
or psychological dependence. Unlike Schedule I, these drugs have a currently accepted
medical use in treatment. Examples include morphine, oxycodone, and methylphenidate.
8. Which of the following describes an ‘agonist’ drug?
A. A drug that blocks a receptor site.
B. A drug that prevents other chemicals from binding.
C. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a response.
D. A drug that speeds up the excretion of other drugs.
Answer: C
Rationale: An agonist is a medication that mimics the action of endogenous substances at
the receptor site. By binding to the receptor, it triggers a specific physiological response.
This is contrasted with an antagonist, which inhibits receptor activity.
9. What is the priority nursing action if a medication error occurs?
A. Complete an incident report immediately.
B. Notify the physician.
C. Assess the patient’s condition.
D. Notify the nursing supervisor.
Answer: C
Rationale: The patient’s safety is always the first priority when an error is identified.
Assessing the patient for adverse effects allows the nurse to intervene early. Reporting and
notification follow once the patient’s stability is established.
10. A patient has a serum creatinine level of 3.2 mg/dL (Normal: 0.6-1.2 mg/dL). Which
pharmacokinetic phase is most likely affected?
A. Absorption
B. Excretion
