ATI Pharmacology Made Easy: The RespSystem| Mock Rehearsal Exam| Questions and Answers| 2025/2026

ATI Pharmacology Made Easy: The RespSystem| Mock Rehearsal Exam| Questions and Answers| 2025/2026 A patient is prescribed albuterol for acute asthma symptoms. Explain why it's important for the nurse to monitor for tachycardia after administration. Albuterol is a beta2 agonist, but it can also hit beta1 receptors a bit, especially in higher doses. That can make the heart race, so nurses should watch out for fast pulse or palpitations. A nurse is giving ipratropium via inhaler. What advice should they give to reduce anticholinergic side effects? Tell the patient to rinse their mouth after use to avoid dry mouth or bad taste. Also, sip fluids and suck on candy to help with the dryness. A patient using beclomethasone reports a sore throat and hoarseness. What complication is the nurse concerned about and why? Could be oral thrush (candidiasis). Steroids suppress local immunity in the mouth, so yeast can overgrow. That’s why rinsing the mouth after use is key. Why should a nurse teach a patient to use a bronchodilator before a corticosteroid inhaler? The bronchodilator opens up the airways so the steroid can get deeper into the lungs and work better. 2 A patient on oral prednisone for asthma asks why they can't stop it suddenly. What’s the nurse’s response? Stopping prednisone cold turkey can mess with the adrenal glands—they stop making cortisol. You have to taper off slowly to let the body adjust. A nurse is reviewing meds for a patient with TB. Which drug would raise concern if the patient also has liver disease? Isoniazid or rifampin—both can hit the liver hard. In liver disease, they can make things worse, so liver enzymes need checking. Why should a nurse advise a patient on theophylline to avoid caffeine? Theophylline is a stimulant and so is caffeine. Together, they can increase heart rate, make you jittery, and raise the risk of toxicity. A patient taking montelukast for chronic asthma says it's not helping during an attack. What should the nurse say? Montelukast isn’t for quick relief—it’s for long-term control. They need a rescue inhaler like albuterol for sudden symptoms. A nurse sees a patient taking codeine for a cough. What’s the main thing to monitor? Watch breathing. Codeine is an opioid and can slow down respiration, especially in older adults or if they’re on other sedatives. 3 A nurse prepares to give acetylcysteine to a patient with thick mucus. What should they expect right after giving it? It smells bad (like rotten eggs), and it can make patients gag or even throw up. You might want to mix it with juice or give antiemetic if needed.