,Chapter 1: Orientation to Pharmacology Test Bank
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse is teaching a patient how a medication works to treat an illness. To do this, th
e nurse will rely on knowledge of:
a. clinical pharmacology.
b. drug efficacy.
c. pharmacokinetics.
d. pharmacotherapeutics.
ANS: D
Pharmacotherapeutics is the study of the use of drugs to diagnose, treat, and prevent conditi
ons. Clinical pharmacology is concerned with all aspects of drug–
human interactions. Drug efficacy measures the extent to which a given drug causes an inte
nded effect.
Pharmacokinetics is the study of the impact of the body on a drug.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension
REF: Four Basic Terms TOP: Nursing Process: Implement
ation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Pharmacologic and Parenteral Therapies
2. What does it mean when a drug is described as easy to administer?
a. It can be stored indefinitely without need for refrigeration.
b. It does not interact significantly with other medications.
c. It enhances patient adherence to the drug regimen.
d. It is usually relatively inexpensive to produce.
ANS: C
A major benefit of drugs that are easy to administer is that patients taking them are more lik
ely to comply with the drug regimen. Drugs that are easy to give may have the other attrib
utes listed, but those properties are independent of ease of administration.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension
REF: Additional Properties of an Ideal Drug: Ease of Administration T
OP: Nursing Process: Assessment
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Pharmacologic and Parenteral Therapies
3. A patient tells the nurse that he was told by the prescriber that the analgesic he is taking i
s very effective. Which statement by the patient demonstrates an understanding of the dru
g‘s effectiveness?
a. ―I don‘t have to worry about toxicity, since it takes a large amount of this drug to
cause an overdose.‖
b. ―It has no side effects and doesn‘t interact with other drugs.‖
c. ―I only have to take it every 12 hours.‖
xs
d. ―It might make me sleepy, and it lessens pain for several hours at a time.‖
ANS: D
, A drug is effective if it produces the intended effects, even if it also produces side effects. B
ecause no drug is completely safe, the level of toxicity does not determine effectiveness. All
drugs have side effects and many react with other substances; these do not affect the drug‘s
effectiveness. Ease of administration is independent of a drug‘s effectiveness.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension
REF: Properties of an Ideal Drug TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Pharmacologic and Parenteral Therapies
MULTIPLE RESPONSE
1. What are the properties of an ideal drug? (Select all that apply.)
a. Irreversible action
b. Predictability
c. Ease of administration
d. Chemical stability
e. A simple trade name
ANS: B, C, D
In addition to predictability, ease of administration, and chemical stability, other properties
include a reversible action so that any harm the drug may cause can be undone and a simple
generic name, because generic names are usually complex and difficult to remember and pr
onounce.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension
REF: Properties of an Ideal Drug | Additional Properties of an Ideal Dru
g TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Pharmacologic and Parenteral Therapies
2. Before administering a medication, what does the nurse need to know to evaluate how
individual patient variability might affect the patient‘s response to the medication? (Select al
l that apply.)
a. Chemical stability of the medication
b. Ease of administration
c. Family medical history
d. Patient‘s age
e. Patient‘s diagnosis
ANS: C, D, E
The family medical history can indicate genetic factors that may affect a patient‘s response t
o a medication. Patients of different ages can respond differently to medications. The patient
‘s illness can affect how drugs are metabolized. The chemical stability of the medication and
the ease of administration are properties of drugs.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis
REF: Sources of Individual Variation TOP: Nursing Process: Implement
ation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Reduction of Risk Potential
, Chapter 2: Application of Pharmacology in Nursing Practice
Test Bank
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient is using a metered-
dose inhaler containing albuterol for asthma. The medication label instructs the patient t
o administer ―2 puffs every 4 hours as needed for coughing or
wheezing.‖ The patient reports feeling jittery sometimes when taking the medication, and sh
e doesn‘t feel that the medication is always effective. Which is not an appropriate nursing i
ntervention for this patient?
a. Asking the patient to demonstrate use of the inhaler
b. Assessing the patient‘s exposure to tobacco smoke
c. Auscultating lung sounds and obtaining vital signs
d. Suggesting that the patient use one puff to reduce side effects
ANS: D
It is not within the nurse‘s scope of practice to change the dose of a medication without an
order from a prescriber. Asking the patient to demonstrate inhaler use helps the nurse to
evaluate the patient‘s ability to administer the medication properly and is part of the nurse‘s
evaluation. Assessing tobacco smoke exposure helps the nurse determine whether nondrug
therapies, such a smoke avoidance, can be used as an adjunct to drug therapy. Performing a
physical assessment helps the nurse evaluate the patient‘s response to the medication.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
REF: Applying the Nursing Process in Drug Therapy: Preadministration Assessment [and a
ll subsections under this heading] TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Pharmacologic and Parenteral Therapies
2. A postoperative patient is being discharged home with acetaminophen/hydrocodone (Lortab)
for pain. The patient asks the nurse about using Tylenol for fever. Which statement by the
nurse is correct?
a. ―It is not safe to take over-the-counter drugs with prescription medications.‖
b. ―Taking the two medications together poses a risk of drug toxicity.‖
xs
c. ―There are no known drug interactions, so this will be safe.‖
xs xs
d. ―Tylenol and Lortab are different drugs, so there is no risk of overdose.‖
xs
ANS: B
Tylenol is the trade name and acetaminophen is the generic name for the same medication. I
t is important to teach patients to be aware of the different names for the same drug to minim
ize the risk of overdose. Over-the-
counter (OTC) medications and prescription medications may be taken together unless signif
icant harmful drug interactions are possible. Even though no drug interactions are at play in
this case, both drugs contain acetaminophen, which could lead to toxicity.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
REF: Application of Pharmacology in Patient Education: Dosage and Administration
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
xs
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Reduction of Risk Potential
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse is teaching a patient how a medication works to treat an illness. To do this, th
e nurse will rely on knowledge of:
a. clinical pharmacology.
b. drug efficacy.
c. pharmacokinetics.
d. pharmacotherapeutics.
ANS: D
Pharmacotherapeutics is the study of the use of drugs to diagnose, treat, and prevent conditi
ons. Clinical pharmacology is concerned with all aspects of drug–
human interactions. Drug efficacy measures the extent to which a given drug causes an inte
nded effect.
Pharmacokinetics is the study of the impact of the body on a drug.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension
REF: Four Basic Terms TOP: Nursing Process: Implement
ation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Pharmacologic and Parenteral Therapies
2. What does it mean when a drug is described as easy to administer?
a. It can be stored indefinitely without need for refrigeration.
b. It does not interact significantly with other medications.
c. It enhances patient adherence to the drug regimen.
d. It is usually relatively inexpensive to produce.
ANS: C
A major benefit of drugs that are easy to administer is that patients taking them are more lik
ely to comply with the drug regimen. Drugs that are easy to give may have the other attrib
utes listed, but those properties are independent of ease of administration.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension
REF: Additional Properties of an Ideal Drug: Ease of Administration T
OP: Nursing Process: Assessment
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Pharmacologic and Parenteral Therapies
3. A patient tells the nurse that he was told by the prescriber that the analgesic he is taking i
s very effective. Which statement by the patient demonstrates an understanding of the dru
g‘s effectiveness?
a. ―I don‘t have to worry about toxicity, since it takes a large amount of this drug to
cause an overdose.‖
b. ―It has no side effects and doesn‘t interact with other drugs.‖
c. ―I only have to take it every 12 hours.‖
xs
d. ―It might make me sleepy, and it lessens pain for several hours at a time.‖
ANS: D
, A drug is effective if it produces the intended effects, even if it also produces side effects. B
ecause no drug is completely safe, the level of toxicity does not determine effectiveness. All
drugs have side effects and many react with other substances; these do not affect the drug‘s
effectiveness. Ease of administration is independent of a drug‘s effectiveness.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension
REF: Properties of an Ideal Drug TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Pharmacologic and Parenteral Therapies
MULTIPLE RESPONSE
1. What are the properties of an ideal drug? (Select all that apply.)
a. Irreversible action
b. Predictability
c. Ease of administration
d. Chemical stability
e. A simple trade name
ANS: B, C, D
In addition to predictability, ease of administration, and chemical stability, other properties
include a reversible action so that any harm the drug may cause can be undone and a simple
generic name, because generic names are usually complex and difficult to remember and pr
onounce.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension
REF: Properties of an Ideal Drug | Additional Properties of an Ideal Dru
g TOP: Nursing Process: Assessment
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Pharmacologic and Parenteral Therapies
2. Before administering a medication, what does the nurse need to know to evaluate how
individual patient variability might affect the patient‘s response to the medication? (Select al
l that apply.)
a. Chemical stability of the medication
b. Ease of administration
c. Family medical history
d. Patient‘s age
e. Patient‘s diagnosis
ANS: C, D, E
The family medical history can indicate genetic factors that may affect a patient‘s response t
o a medication. Patients of different ages can respond differently to medications. The patient
‘s illness can affect how drugs are metabolized. The chemical stability of the medication and
the ease of administration are properties of drugs.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Analysis
REF: Sources of Individual Variation TOP: Nursing Process: Implement
ation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Reduction of Risk Potential
, Chapter 2: Application of Pharmacology in Nursing Practice
Test Bank
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient is using a metered-
dose inhaler containing albuterol for asthma. The medication label instructs the patient t
o administer ―2 puffs every 4 hours as needed for coughing or
wheezing.‖ The patient reports feeling jittery sometimes when taking the medication, and sh
e doesn‘t feel that the medication is always effective. Which is not an appropriate nursing i
ntervention for this patient?
a. Asking the patient to demonstrate use of the inhaler
b. Assessing the patient‘s exposure to tobacco smoke
c. Auscultating lung sounds and obtaining vital signs
d. Suggesting that the patient use one puff to reduce side effects
ANS: D
It is not within the nurse‘s scope of practice to change the dose of a medication without an
order from a prescriber. Asking the patient to demonstrate inhaler use helps the nurse to
evaluate the patient‘s ability to administer the medication properly and is part of the nurse‘s
evaluation. Assessing tobacco smoke exposure helps the nurse determine whether nondrug
therapies, such a smoke avoidance, can be used as an adjunct to drug therapy. Performing a
physical assessment helps the nurse evaluate the patient‘s response to the medication.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
REF: Applying the Nursing Process in Drug Therapy: Preadministration Assessment [and a
ll subsections under this heading] TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Pharmacologic and Parenteral Therapies
2. A postoperative patient is being discharged home with acetaminophen/hydrocodone (Lortab)
for pain. The patient asks the nurse about using Tylenol for fever. Which statement by the
nurse is correct?
a. ―It is not safe to take over-the-counter drugs with prescription medications.‖
b. ―Taking the two medications together poses a risk of drug toxicity.‖
xs
c. ―There are no known drug interactions, so this will be safe.‖
xs xs
d. ―Tylenol and Lortab are different drugs, so there is no risk of overdose.‖
xs
ANS: B
Tylenol is the trade name and acetaminophen is the generic name for the same medication. I
t is important to teach patients to be aware of the different names for the same drug to minim
ize the risk of overdose. Over-the-
counter (OTC) medications and prescription medications may be taken together unless signif
icant harmful drug interactions are possible. Even though no drug interactions are at play in
this case, both drugs contain acetaminophen, which could lead to toxicity.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application
REF: Application of Pharmacology in Patient Education: Dosage and Administration
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
xs
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs Category: Physiologic Integrity: Reduction of Risk Potential
