Pharmacology Clear and Simple: A Guide to Medication Classifications and
Dosage Calculations Fifth Edition by Cynthia J. Watkins RN MSN CPN, Charlet L.
Blades (2025) || CURRENT EDITION|| COMPLETE GUIDE
5th Edition
,Table of Contents
Unit i. Introduction to pharmacology ........................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 1. History of pharmacology ......................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 2. Basics of pharmacology ......................................................................................................... 21
Chapter 3. Patient safety in medication administration ......................................................................... 39
Chapter 4. Regulations ............................................................................................................................ 51
Unit ii. Calculations ..................................................................................................................................... 68
Chapter 5: prescriptions and labels ........................................................................................................ 68
Chapter 6. Basic review of mathematics ................................................................................................ 68
Chapter7. Measurement systems ........................................................................................................... 68
Chapter 8. Dosage calculations ............................................................................................................... 68
Unit iii. Administration of medications ....................................................................................................... 83
Chapter 9. Enteral medications and administration ............................................................................... 83
Chapter 10. Parenteral medications and administration ....................................................................... 93
Unit iv. Classifications of drugs ................................................................................................................. 104
Chapter 11. Integumentary system medications.................................................................................. 104
Chapter 12. Musculoskeletal system medications ............................................................................... 115
Chapter 13. Nervous system medications ............................................................................................ 130
Chapter 14. Eye and ear medications ................................................................................................... 146
Chapter 15. Endocrine system medications ......................................................................................... 156
Chapter 16. Cardiovascular system medications cardiotonic: 1. .......................................................... 172
Chapter 17. Immunological system medications .................................................................................. 266
Chapter 18. Pulmonary system medications ........................................................................................ 283
Chapter 19. Gastrointestinal system medications ................................................................................ 316
Chapter 20. Reproductive and urinary systems medications female reproductive: 1. ........................ 346
Chapter 21. Herbs, vitamins, and minerals ........................................................................................... 393
,Unit i. Introduction to pharmacology
Chapter 1. History of pharmacology
Mulitple choice
1. A nurse working in radiology administers iodine to a patient who is having a computed
tomography (ct) scan. The nurse working on the oncology unit administers chemotherapy to patients
who have cancer. At the public health department, a nurse administers a measles-mumps-rubella (mmr)
vaccine to a 14-month-old child as a routine immunization. Which branch of pharmacology best
describes the actions of all three nurses?
A) pharmacoeconomics
B) pharmacotherapeutics
C) pharmacodynamics
D) pharmacokinetics
Ans: b
Feedback:
Pharmacology is the study of the biologic effects of chemicals. Nurses are involved with clinical
pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics, which is a branch of pharmacology that deals with the uses of
drugs to treat, prevent, and diagnose disease. The radiology nurse is administering a drug to help
diagnose a disease. The oncology nurse is administering a drug to help treat a disease.
Pharmacoeconomics includes any costs involved in drug therapy. Pharmacodynamics involves how a
drug affects the body and pharmacokinetics is how the body acts on the body.
2. A physician has ordered intramuscular (im) injections of morphine, a narcotic, every 4 hours as
needed for pain in a motor vehicle accident victim. The nurse is aware this drug has a high abuse
potential. Under what category would morphine be classified?
A) schedule i
B) schedule ii
C) schedule iii
D) schedule iv
Ans: b
, Feedback:
Narcotics with a high abuse potential are classified as schedule ii drugs because of severe dependence
liability. Schedule i drugs have high abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Schedule iii drugs have
a lesser abuse potential than ii and an accepted medical use. Schedule iv drugs have low abuse potential
and limited dependence liability.
3. When involved in phase iii drug evaluation studies, what responsibilities would the nurse have?
A. Working with animals who are given experimental drugs
B. Choosing appropriate patients to be involved in the drug study
C. Monitoring and observing patients closely for adverse effects
D. Conducting research to determine effectiveness of the drug
Ans: c
Feedback:
Phase iii studies involve use of a drug in a vast clinical population in which patients are asked to record
any symptoms they experience while taking the drugs. Nurses may be responsible for helping collect and
analyze the information to be shared with the food and drug administration (fda) but would not conduct
research independently because nurses do not prescribe medications. Use of animals in drug testing is
done in the preclinical trials. Select patients who are involved in phase ii studies to participate in studies
where the participants have the disease the drug is intended to treat. These patients are monitored
closely for drug action and adverse effects. Phase i studies involve healthy human volunteers who are
usually paid for their participation. Nurses may observe for adverse effects and toxicity.
4. What concept is considered when generic drugs are substituted for brand name drugs?
A. Bioavailability
B. Critical concentration
C. Distribution
D. Half-life
Ans: a