Test Bank for Karch’s Focus on Nursing Pharmacology, 9th Edition,
By Rebecca Tucker
All Chapters Included | Latest Edition | Verified NCLEX®-Style Answers
Expert Corner
, Chapter 01 - Introduction to Drugs
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?
Pharmacoeconomics
Pharmacotherapeutic
s Pharmacodynamics
Pharmacokinetics
Answer: 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?
Schedule I
Schedule II
Schedule III
Schedule IV
Answer: B
Feedback:
Narcotics with a high abuse potential are classified as Schedule II drugs because of severe dependence
Expert Corner
, 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?
Working with animals who are given experimental drugs
Choosing appropriate patients to be involved in the drug study
Monitoring and observing patients closely for adverse effects
Conducting research to determine effectiveness of the drug
Answer: 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?
Bioavailability
Critical concentration
Distribution
Half-life
Answer: A
Feedback:
Bioavailability is the portion of a dose of a drug that reaches the systemic circulation and is available
to act on body cells. Binders used in a generic drug may not be the same as those used in the brand
name drug. Therefore, the way the body breaks down and uses the drug may differ, which may
eliminate a generic drug substitution. Critical concentration is the amount of a drug that is needed to
cause a therapeutic effect and should not differ between generic and brand name medications.
Distribution is the phase of pharmacokinetics, which involves the movement of a drug to the body’s
Expert Corner
, tissues and is the
Expert Corner
By Rebecca Tucker
All Chapters Included | Latest Edition | Verified NCLEX®-Style Answers
Expert Corner
, Chapter 01 - Introduction to Drugs
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?
Pharmacoeconomics
Pharmacotherapeutic
s Pharmacodynamics
Pharmacokinetics
Answer: 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?
Schedule I
Schedule II
Schedule III
Schedule IV
Answer: B
Feedback:
Narcotics with a high abuse potential are classified as Schedule II drugs because of severe dependence
Expert Corner
, 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?
Working with animals who are given experimental drugs
Choosing appropriate patients to be involved in the drug study
Monitoring and observing patients closely for adverse effects
Conducting research to determine effectiveness of the drug
Answer: 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?
Bioavailability
Critical concentration
Distribution
Half-life
Answer: A
Feedback:
Bioavailability is the portion of a dose of a drug that reaches the systemic circulation and is available
to act on body cells. Binders used in a generic drug may not be the same as those used in the brand
name drug. Therefore, the way the body breaks down and uses the drug may differ, which may
eliminate a generic drug substitution. Critical concentration is the amount of a drug that is needed to
cause a therapeutic effect and should not differ between generic and brand name medications.
Distribution is the phase of pharmacokinetics, which involves the movement of a drug to the body’s
Expert Corner
, tissues and is the
Expert Corner
