KARCH’S FOCUS ON NURSING
PHARMACOLOGY
10TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)REBECCA G. TUCKER
TEST BANK
1) Reference
Ch. 1 — Introduction to Drugs
Stem: A 72-year-old man admitted for pneumonia is prescribed
an oral antibiotic. He tells the nurse he usually takes several
over-the-counter (OTC) supplements and his wife crushes his
pills to help him swallow. Which nursing action is most
important before administering the antibiotic?
A. Crush the antibiotic and mix it with applesauce per the wife’s
usual practice.
B. Ask the patient which OTC supplements he takes and check
for interactions.
,C. Administer the antibiotic and document that the patient
swallowed it.
D. Substitute an IV formulation to avoid absorption variability
from crushed tablets.
Correct answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): The nurse must obtain a complete list
of OTC supplements because herbal and OTC products
commonly interact with prescription drugs, altering
effectiveness or causing adverse effects. Assessing for
interactions directly aligns with safe medication administration
and Karch’s emphasis on the nurse’s role in identifying
contributing factors to drug effects. This is prioritized before
altering administration route or form.
Rationale — Incorrect:
A. Crushing without verification can change drug
release/absorption (e.g., enteric-coated, extended-release),
causing harm.
C. Administering without checking interactions risks adverse
effects or therapeutic failure; documentation alone is
insufficient.
D. Substituting IV formulation must be ordered; while IV avoids
GI absorption issues, it introduces other risks (infection, dosing
differences).
Teaching point: Always reconcile OTC/herbal use and check for
interactions before giving medications.
,Citation: Tucker, R. G. (2026). Karch’s Focus on Nursing
Pharmacology (10th ed.). Ch. 1.
2) Reference
Ch. 1 — Introduction to Drugs
Stem: A newly licensed nurse prepares to give a medication and
notes the medication label shows a different trade name than
the MAR’s generic name. The patient asks, “Is this the same pill
I usually take?” What is the best nursing response?
A. “Yes — brand and generic names often differ; let me confirm
the active ingredient and dose.”
B. “No — if the names differ they are not the same; I’ll withhold
the drug.”
C. “Don’t worry — all names are interchangeable so give it as
ordered.”
D. “I’ll phone the prescriber to change the order to the brand
name.”
Correct answer: A
Rationale — Correct (A): Asking to confirm the active ingredient
and dose demonstrates appropriate verification of generic vs.
brand names and ensures safe administration. Karch highlights
nurses’ responsibility to recognize naming conventions and
verify equivalence to prevent errors.
, Rationale — Incorrect:
B. Automatically withholding without verification delays therapy
unnecessarily.
C. Saying names are interchangeable without confirming active
ingredient is unsafe; some formulations differ.
D. Calling prescriber to change name is unnecessary if active
ingredient and dose match; verification suffices.
Teaching point: Verify active ingredient and dose when
brand/generic names differ before administering.
Citation: Tucker, R. G. (2026). Karch’s Focus on Nursing
Pharmacology (10th ed.). Ch. 1.
3) Reference
Ch. 1 — Introduction to Drugs
Stem: A pregnant patient in her first trimester is prescribed a
medication known to be teratogenic in animal studies. She asks
the nurse what “teratogenic” means. Which response best
explains the concern and next nursing action?
A. “It means the drug may hurt a developing fetus; I’ll notify the
provider to discuss safer alternatives.”
B. “It means the drug causes nausea in pregnancy; take it with
food.”
C. “Teratogenic means the drug is safe in early pregnancy; take
as prescribed.”
D. “It’s just a label; there’s no real evidence it causes harm.”
PHARMACOLOGY
10TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)REBECCA G. TUCKER
TEST BANK
1) Reference
Ch. 1 — Introduction to Drugs
Stem: A 72-year-old man admitted for pneumonia is prescribed
an oral antibiotic. He tells the nurse he usually takes several
over-the-counter (OTC) supplements and his wife crushes his
pills to help him swallow. Which nursing action is most
important before administering the antibiotic?
A. Crush the antibiotic and mix it with applesauce per the wife’s
usual practice.
B. Ask the patient which OTC supplements he takes and check
for interactions.
,C. Administer the antibiotic and document that the patient
swallowed it.
D. Substitute an IV formulation to avoid absorption variability
from crushed tablets.
Correct answer: B
Rationale — Correct (B): The nurse must obtain a complete list
of OTC supplements because herbal and OTC products
commonly interact with prescription drugs, altering
effectiveness or causing adverse effects. Assessing for
interactions directly aligns with safe medication administration
and Karch’s emphasis on the nurse’s role in identifying
contributing factors to drug effects. This is prioritized before
altering administration route or form.
Rationale — Incorrect:
A. Crushing without verification can change drug
release/absorption (e.g., enteric-coated, extended-release),
causing harm.
C. Administering without checking interactions risks adverse
effects or therapeutic failure; documentation alone is
insufficient.
D. Substituting IV formulation must be ordered; while IV avoids
GI absorption issues, it introduces other risks (infection, dosing
differences).
Teaching point: Always reconcile OTC/herbal use and check for
interactions before giving medications.
,Citation: Tucker, R. G. (2026). Karch’s Focus on Nursing
Pharmacology (10th ed.). Ch. 1.
2) Reference
Ch. 1 — Introduction to Drugs
Stem: A newly licensed nurse prepares to give a medication and
notes the medication label shows a different trade name than
the MAR’s generic name. The patient asks, “Is this the same pill
I usually take?” What is the best nursing response?
A. “Yes — brand and generic names often differ; let me confirm
the active ingredient and dose.”
B. “No — if the names differ they are not the same; I’ll withhold
the drug.”
C. “Don’t worry — all names are interchangeable so give it as
ordered.”
D. “I’ll phone the prescriber to change the order to the brand
name.”
Correct answer: A
Rationale — Correct (A): Asking to confirm the active ingredient
and dose demonstrates appropriate verification of generic vs.
brand names and ensures safe administration. Karch highlights
nurses’ responsibility to recognize naming conventions and
verify equivalence to prevent errors.
, Rationale — Incorrect:
B. Automatically withholding without verification delays therapy
unnecessarily.
C. Saying names are interchangeable without confirming active
ingredient is unsafe; some formulations differ.
D. Calling prescriber to change name is unnecessary if active
ingredient and dose match; verification suffices.
Teaching point: Verify active ingredient and dose when
brand/generic names differ before administering.
Citation: Tucker, R. G. (2026). Karch’s Focus on Nursing
Pharmacology (10th ed.). Ch. 1.
3) Reference
Ch. 1 — Introduction to Drugs
Stem: A pregnant patient in her first trimester is prescribed a
medication known to be teratogenic in animal studies. She asks
the nurse what “teratogenic” means. Which response best
explains the concern and next nursing action?
A. “It means the drug may hurt a developing fetus; I’ll notify the
provider to discuss safer alternatives.”
B. “It means the drug causes nausea in pregnancy; take it with
food.”
C. “Teratogenic means the drug is safe in early pregnancy; take
as prescribed.”
D. “It’s just a label; there’s no real evidence it causes harm.”
