NURS 572 Exam 1 Pharmacology basics,
pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics (2026-2027)
UPDATE EXAM 250 QUESTIONS WITH
MULTIPLE CHOICES VERIFIED & REVISED
ANSWERS (NEW)!!
A new graduate nurse preparing to administer medications knows that which of the following is
required for a drug to move through the body?
A) Selectivity and effectiveness
B) The ability to cross membranes
C) Development of an electric charge
D) A transporter protein - CORRECT ANSWER: B) The ability to cross membranes
To move throughout the body, drugs must cross membranes. They cross membranes to enter the
bloodstream, to exit the bloodstream and reach the site of action, and to undergo metabolism and
excretion. Selectivity and effectiveness are not related to drug movement. Development of an
electric charge (ionization) reduces a drug's ability to be absorbed. Transporter proteins are not
required for drugs to move through the body.
A new medication becomes available for treatment of a debilitating neurologic disease. What
would the nurse expect about the safety of the drug?
A) The drug is safe for administration to children.
B) The drug has been tested in pregnant women.
C) All possible adverse effects have been identified by animal testing.
D) The drug has passed the FDA approval process. - CORRECT ANSWER: D) The drug has
passed the FDA approval process.
A new medication must meet the FDA's stringent requirements before it comes to market. Most
drugs have not been tested in women (including pregnant women) or children. Animal testing
cannot identify all possible adverse effects.
,A nurse is preparing to give an oral dose of drug X to treat a patient's high blood pressure. After
giving the drug, the nurse finds that it not only reduces the blood pressure without serious
harmful effects, but it also causes the patient to have nausea and headache. Based on this
information, which property of an ideal drug is this drug lacking?
A) Effectiveness
B) Safety
C) Selectivity
D) Ease of Administration - CORRECT ANSWER: C) Selectivity
The drug is effective in lowering the blood pressure and safe in that it does not cause harmful
effects. However, as do most drugs, it causes other effects besides the one response desired;
therefore, it lacks selectivity. The oral form provides ease of administration.
A nurse prepares to administer acetaminophen [Tylenol] to a patient with an oral temperature of
101.7°F. Which preparation would the nurse expect to have the most rapid onset of action?
A) Tylenol elixir
B) Tylenol tablets
C) Tylenol capsules
D) Tylenol gel caps - CORRECT ANSWER: A) Tylenol elixir
A liquid does not have to dissolve first to allow absorption; therefore, the onset of action occurs
more quickly than with capsules, tablets, or gel caps.
Absorption - CORRECT ANSWER: Movement of a drug from its site of administration into the
blood
Rate of absorption - how soon effects begin
Amount of absorption - how intense the effects will be
,Factors of Drug Absorption:
Rate of Dissolution - Different barriers to absorption with each route
Surface Area
Blood Flow
Lipid Solubility - can the drug cross lipid membranes
pH partitioning
Adverse Drug Reaction - CORRECT ANSWER: Any noxious, unintended, and undesired effect
that occurs at normal drug doses.
Affinity - CORRECT ANSWER: Affinity - strength of attraction between drug and receptor,
reflected in potency
Higher affinity → effective in lower doses → potent
Agonists - CORRECT ANSWER: Activate receptors
As drugs, agonists bind to receptors to mimic the body's regulatory molecules
Affinity and high intrinsic activity
Don't necessarily make a process go faster, agonists just turn on receptors which can have all
kinds of downstream effects (so can appear to make processes "faster" or "slower")
Examples:
dobutamine (norepinephrine receptors)
insulin (endogenous insulin receptors)
norethindrone (progesterone receptors)
Antagonists - CORRECT ANSWER: Prevent receptor activation by endogenous regulatory
molecules and other drugs
, Have affinity to receptors, but no intrinsic activity which prevents the bound antagonist from
causing receptor activation
But DO have pharmacological effects by preventing activation of receptors by agonists
Effectiveness determined by how much agonist is present:
If no agonist present, antagonist binding won't have an effect
If there is agonist present, then antagonist will shut down the process with an observable
response
Examples:
Antihistamines - bind to histamine receptors
Naloxone - binds to receptors for opioids
Benefits of Generic Drug Names over Brand Drug Names - CORRECT ANSWER: Problem
with brand:
One drug can have many brand names
OTC can have different active ingredients
Brand name drugs can have different active ingredients in different countries - can be dangerous
for international travelers
Problems with generic names: difficult to pronounce
Brand drug names - CORRECT ANSWER: Proprietary or trade name made by drug companies,
approved by FDA
One drug can have many brand names
OTC can have the same name but different active ingredients
pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics (2026-2027)
UPDATE EXAM 250 QUESTIONS WITH
MULTIPLE CHOICES VERIFIED & REVISED
ANSWERS (NEW)!!
A new graduate nurse preparing to administer medications knows that which of the following is
required for a drug to move through the body?
A) Selectivity and effectiveness
B) The ability to cross membranes
C) Development of an electric charge
D) A transporter protein - CORRECT ANSWER: B) The ability to cross membranes
To move throughout the body, drugs must cross membranes. They cross membranes to enter the
bloodstream, to exit the bloodstream and reach the site of action, and to undergo metabolism and
excretion. Selectivity and effectiveness are not related to drug movement. Development of an
electric charge (ionization) reduces a drug's ability to be absorbed. Transporter proteins are not
required for drugs to move through the body.
A new medication becomes available for treatment of a debilitating neurologic disease. What
would the nurse expect about the safety of the drug?
A) The drug is safe for administration to children.
B) The drug has been tested in pregnant women.
C) All possible adverse effects have been identified by animal testing.
D) The drug has passed the FDA approval process. - CORRECT ANSWER: D) The drug has
passed the FDA approval process.
A new medication must meet the FDA's stringent requirements before it comes to market. Most
drugs have not been tested in women (including pregnant women) or children. Animal testing
cannot identify all possible adverse effects.
,A nurse is preparing to give an oral dose of drug X to treat a patient's high blood pressure. After
giving the drug, the nurse finds that it not only reduces the blood pressure without serious
harmful effects, but it also causes the patient to have nausea and headache. Based on this
information, which property of an ideal drug is this drug lacking?
A) Effectiveness
B) Safety
C) Selectivity
D) Ease of Administration - CORRECT ANSWER: C) Selectivity
The drug is effective in lowering the blood pressure and safe in that it does not cause harmful
effects. However, as do most drugs, it causes other effects besides the one response desired;
therefore, it lacks selectivity. The oral form provides ease of administration.
A nurse prepares to administer acetaminophen [Tylenol] to a patient with an oral temperature of
101.7°F. Which preparation would the nurse expect to have the most rapid onset of action?
A) Tylenol elixir
B) Tylenol tablets
C) Tylenol capsules
D) Tylenol gel caps - CORRECT ANSWER: A) Tylenol elixir
A liquid does not have to dissolve first to allow absorption; therefore, the onset of action occurs
more quickly than with capsules, tablets, or gel caps.
Absorption - CORRECT ANSWER: Movement of a drug from its site of administration into the
blood
Rate of absorption - how soon effects begin
Amount of absorption - how intense the effects will be
,Factors of Drug Absorption:
Rate of Dissolution - Different barriers to absorption with each route
Surface Area
Blood Flow
Lipid Solubility - can the drug cross lipid membranes
pH partitioning
Adverse Drug Reaction - CORRECT ANSWER: Any noxious, unintended, and undesired effect
that occurs at normal drug doses.
Affinity - CORRECT ANSWER: Affinity - strength of attraction between drug and receptor,
reflected in potency
Higher affinity → effective in lower doses → potent
Agonists - CORRECT ANSWER: Activate receptors
As drugs, agonists bind to receptors to mimic the body's regulatory molecules
Affinity and high intrinsic activity
Don't necessarily make a process go faster, agonists just turn on receptors which can have all
kinds of downstream effects (so can appear to make processes "faster" or "slower")
Examples:
dobutamine (norepinephrine receptors)
insulin (endogenous insulin receptors)
norethindrone (progesterone receptors)
Antagonists - CORRECT ANSWER: Prevent receptor activation by endogenous regulatory
molecules and other drugs
, Have affinity to receptors, but no intrinsic activity which prevents the bound antagonist from
causing receptor activation
But DO have pharmacological effects by preventing activation of receptors by agonists
Effectiveness determined by how much agonist is present:
If no agonist present, antagonist binding won't have an effect
If there is agonist present, then antagonist will shut down the process with an observable
response
Examples:
Antihistamines - bind to histamine receptors
Naloxone - binds to receptors for opioids
Benefits of Generic Drug Names over Brand Drug Names - CORRECT ANSWER: Problem
with brand:
One drug can have many brand names
OTC can have different active ingredients
Brand name drugs can have different active ingredients in different countries - can be dangerous
for international travelers
Problems with generic names: difficult to pronounce
Brand drug names - CORRECT ANSWER: Proprietary or trade name made by drug companies,
approved by FDA
One drug can have many brand names
OTC can have the same name but different active ingredients
