Advanced Pharmacology Exam
Study Guide – Practice
Questions with Answers.
Updated 2025/2026
Once you graduate from an NP program, in order to prescribe you'll need: -
Ans✔✔--Advanced nurse prescriber license
-DEA #
What is the purpose of a DEA #? - Ans✔✔-Needed to prescribed scheduled
drugs
Rules for prescribing Schedule II drugs: - Ans✔✔--Written script needed
-1 month supply only
-No refills
What is the PDMP? - Ans✔✔-Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
Used to effectively track patient's controlled substance uses across different
health facilities (in the same state)
,What are clinical practice guidelines? - Ans✔✔-Recommendations that are
intended to optimize patient care that are informed by a systematic review of
the evidence and an assessment of the benefits/harms of alternative care
practices
Ex: sepsis, CAP
Common causes of medication errors: - Ans✔✔--Illegible writing
-Drug names that sound alike
-Medications that look alike
-Administering a drug with the wrong route
What is pharmacokinetics? What are its 4 categories? - Ans✔✔-What the body
does to the drug
1. Absorption
2. Metabolism
3. Distribution
4. Excretion
Quickest route of absorption? Slowest? - Ans✔✔-IV = quickest
IM = slowest
What is the most common way drugs pass through cell membranes? - Ans✔✔-
Passive diffusion
,What characteristics of a drug allow it to pass most quickly through cell
membranes (usually through passive diffusion)? - Ans✔✔-Small, uncharged
(unionized), lipid soluble--pass through membrane without any energy
What does it mean when a drug is ionized? - Ans✔✔-It means that the drug is
stuck in the compartment it was ionized in and has to be moved to the next
compartment (cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream)
Where do weak acids absorb? - Ans✔✔-Stomach
Where do weak bases absorb? - Ans✔✔-Small intestine
pH of stomach: - Ans✔✔-2-4
pH of small intestine: - Ans✔✔-6-7
pH of large intestine: - Ans✔✔-6-7
pH of bloodstream: - Ans✔✔-7.35-7.45
pH of bladder: - Ans✔✔-5-8
pH of breastmilk: - Ans✔✔-7.1
, Where will a drug absorb if it is a weak base that ionizes at a pH of 4 and
lower? - Ans✔✔-In the small intestine (since the stomach has a pH of 2-4, so
the drug will become ionized and move to the small intestine where it will be
able to absorb into the bloodstream)
How can we manipulate the urine pH in cases of overdose? - Ans✔✔-Drugs
that are weak acids (aspirin) can be trapped and excreted through the urine.
We raise pH of the urine (with sodium bicarb) to force the drug to ionize and
allow it to be excreted, not reabsorbed through the bloodstream.
What is distribution? - Ans✔✔-How a drug will be transported to the tissues it
needs to go to in order for it to exert its effects
Drug factors related to distribution: - Ans✔✔--Lipid solubility
-Molecular size
-Degree of ionization
-Duration of action
-Cellular binding
-Therapeutic effects
-Toxic effects
(lipid soluble, small, and non-ionized drugs will distribute more quickly)
Body factors related to distribution: - Ans✔✔--Vascularity (poor perfusion,
disruption of blood flow due to trauma--difficulty distributing)
Study Guide – Practice
Questions with Answers.
Updated 2025/2026
Once you graduate from an NP program, in order to prescribe you'll need: -
Ans✔✔--Advanced nurse prescriber license
-DEA #
What is the purpose of a DEA #? - Ans✔✔-Needed to prescribed scheduled
drugs
Rules for prescribing Schedule II drugs: - Ans✔✔--Written script needed
-1 month supply only
-No refills
What is the PDMP? - Ans✔✔-Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
Used to effectively track patient's controlled substance uses across different
health facilities (in the same state)
,What are clinical practice guidelines? - Ans✔✔-Recommendations that are
intended to optimize patient care that are informed by a systematic review of
the evidence and an assessment of the benefits/harms of alternative care
practices
Ex: sepsis, CAP
Common causes of medication errors: - Ans✔✔--Illegible writing
-Drug names that sound alike
-Medications that look alike
-Administering a drug with the wrong route
What is pharmacokinetics? What are its 4 categories? - Ans✔✔-What the body
does to the drug
1. Absorption
2. Metabolism
3. Distribution
4. Excretion
Quickest route of absorption? Slowest? - Ans✔✔-IV = quickest
IM = slowest
What is the most common way drugs pass through cell membranes? - Ans✔✔-
Passive diffusion
,What characteristics of a drug allow it to pass most quickly through cell
membranes (usually through passive diffusion)? - Ans✔✔-Small, uncharged
(unionized), lipid soluble--pass through membrane without any energy
What does it mean when a drug is ionized? - Ans✔✔-It means that the drug is
stuck in the compartment it was ionized in and has to be moved to the next
compartment (cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream)
Where do weak acids absorb? - Ans✔✔-Stomach
Where do weak bases absorb? - Ans✔✔-Small intestine
pH of stomach: - Ans✔✔-2-4
pH of small intestine: - Ans✔✔-6-7
pH of large intestine: - Ans✔✔-6-7
pH of bloodstream: - Ans✔✔-7.35-7.45
pH of bladder: - Ans✔✔-5-8
pH of breastmilk: - Ans✔✔-7.1
, Where will a drug absorb if it is a weak base that ionizes at a pH of 4 and
lower? - Ans✔✔-In the small intestine (since the stomach has a pH of 2-4, so
the drug will become ionized and move to the small intestine where it will be
able to absorb into the bloodstream)
How can we manipulate the urine pH in cases of overdose? - Ans✔✔-Drugs
that are weak acids (aspirin) can be trapped and excreted through the urine.
We raise pH of the urine (with sodium bicarb) to force the drug to ionize and
allow it to be excreted, not reabsorbed through the bloodstream.
What is distribution? - Ans✔✔-How a drug will be transported to the tissues it
needs to go to in order for it to exert its effects
Drug factors related to distribution: - Ans✔✔--Lipid solubility
-Molecular size
-Degree of ionization
-Duration of action
-Cellular binding
-Therapeutic effects
-Toxic effects
(lipid soluble, small, and non-ionized drugs will distribute more quickly)
Body factors related to distribution: - Ans✔✔--Vascularity (poor perfusion,
disruption of blood flow due to trauma--difficulty distributing)
