PHARMACOLOGY AND THE NURSING
PROCESS 9TH EDITION FINAL STUDY PAPER
2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
◉ Overview of the Nursing Process. Answer: • The nursing process
is an ongoing, constantly changing,
and evolving organizational framework for the practice of
nursing, encompassing all steps taken by the nurse in caring
for a patient.
• The phases of the nursing process include assessment;
development of nursing diagnoses; planning, with establishment
of goals and outcome criteria; implementation, including
patient education; and evaluation.
• Safe, therapeutic, and effective medication administration is
a major responsibility of professional nurses as they apply
the nursing process to the care of their patients.
• Critical thinking is a major part of the nursing process and
involves the use of the mind and thought processes to gather
information and then develop conclusions, make decisions,
draw inferences, and reflect on all aspects of patient care.
,◉ When medications were administered during the night shift. a
patient refused to take his 0200 dose of an antibiotoc claiming he
had just taken it what is the best action by the nuste.. Answer: .
Whenever a patient questions a particular medication or mentions
something about the medication that is not in accordance with what
the nurse thinks, the nurse must always be careful—stop, recheck
the prescriber's order against the medication administration record
or profile, and check the dispensing system or medication
record/profile to determine whether a dose was given and signed off
by another nurse. Never ignore a patient's concerns! Never assume
that the patient is unaware of his or her medication; always double-
check to be safe. If all records and orders have been checked, and the
nurse is certain that the drug has not been given, then the nurse
proceeds with medication administration. A simple explanation
could then be given to the patient. If the patient continues to refuse
the medication, document this in the nurses' notes and report it to
the charge nurse or nurse supervisor and to the prescriber.
◉ During a busy shift, the nurse notes that the chart of a newly
admitted patient has a few orders for various medications and
diagnostic test that were taken by telephone by another nurse. The
nurse is on the way to the patient room to do an assessment when
the unit secretary tells the nurse one of the orders read: Lasiz, 20 mg
stat. What is the priority action by the nurse>. Answer: Because this
is a newly admitted patient, it would be best to perform an
assessment before giving any medications. However, because the
order is stat, meaning to give immediately, the assessment has to be
brief and focused. Assess the patient's vital signs (blood pressure,
pulse, respirations, temperature) and level of consciousness. Check
,for signs of fluid retention (pedal edema), ask about urine output
and function, and listen to breath and heart sounds. Do not forget to
assess for drug allergies and other drug reactions. However, the stat
order is missing something—a route. Never assume that a
medication is to be given by mouth. Even though this patient was
just admitted and may or may not have an intravenous line, the best
action is to clarify the route by which this drug should be given. The
order was taken by telephone by another nurse, so you can ask the
nurse whether a route was specified when the nurse spoke to the
prescriber. If not, the prescriber must be contacted right away for
clarification. To streamline things, the order can be checked by
another nurse or, in some facilities, the pharmacist, while you are
performing the assessment. Lastly, even though the medication is
stat, be sure to check the patient's identification with two patient
identifiers per the health care institution protocol.
◉ An 86-year-old patient is being discharged to home on digitalis
therapy and has very little information regarding the medication.
Which statement best reflects a realistic outcome of patient teaching
activities?
a) The patient and patient's daughter will state the proper way to
take the drug.
b) The nurse will provide teaching about the drug's adverse effects.
c) The patient will state all the symptoms of digitalis toxicity.
, d) The patient will call the prescriber if adverse effects occur..
Answer: a) The patient and patient's daughter will state the proper
way to take the drug.
◉ A patient has a new prescription for a blood pressure medication
that may cause him to feel dizzy during the first few days of therapy.
Which is the best nursing diagnosis for this situation?. Answer: Risk
for injury
◉ A patient's chart includes an order that reads as follows: "Atenolol
25mg once daily at 0900." Which action by the nurse is correct?
a) The nurse gives the drug via the transdermal route.
b) The nurse gives the drug orally.
c) The nurse gives the drug intravenously.
d) The nurse contacts the prescriber to clarify the dosage route..
Answer: d) The nurse contacts the prescriber to clarify the dosage
route.
PROCESS 9TH EDITION FINAL STUDY PAPER
2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
◉ Overview of the Nursing Process. Answer: • The nursing process
is an ongoing, constantly changing,
and evolving organizational framework for the practice of
nursing, encompassing all steps taken by the nurse in caring
for a patient.
• The phases of the nursing process include assessment;
development of nursing diagnoses; planning, with establishment
of goals and outcome criteria; implementation, including
patient education; and evaluation.
• Safe, therapeutic, and effective medication administration is
a major responsibility of professional nurses as they apply
the nursing process to the care of their patients.
• Critical thinking is a major part of the nursing process and
involves the use of the mind and thought processes to gather
information and then develop conclusions, make decisions,
draw inferences, and reflect on all aspects of patient care.
,◉ When medications were administered during the night shift. a
patient refused to take his 0200 dose of an antibiotoc claiming he
had just taken it what is the best action by the nuste.. Answer: .
Whenever a patient questions a particular medication or mentions
something about the medication that is not in accordance with what
the nurse thinks, the nurse must always be careful—stop, recheck
the prescriber's order against the medication administration record
or profile, and check the dispensing system or medication
record/profile to determine whether a dose was given and signed off
by another nurse. Never ignore a patient's concerns! Never assume
that the patient is unaware of his or her medication; always double-
check to be safe. If all records and orders have been checked, and the
nurse is certain that the drug has not been given, then the nurse
proceeds with medication administration. A simple explanation
could then be given to the patient. If the patient continues to refuse
the medication, document this in the nurses' notes and report it to
the charge nurse or nurse supervisor and to the prescriber.
◉ During a busy shift, the nurse notes that the chart of a newly
admitted patient has a few orders for various medications and
diagnostic test that were taken by telephone by another nurse. The
nurse is on the way to the patient room to do an assessment when
the unit secretary tells the nurse one of the orders read: Lasiz, 20 mg
stat. What is the priority action by the nurse>. Answer: Because this
is a newly admitted patient, it would be best to perform an
assessment before giving any medications. However, because the
order is stat, meaning to give immediately, the assessment has to be
brief and focused. Assess the patient's vital signs (blood pressure,
pulse, respirations, temperature) and level of consciousness. Check
,for signs of fluid retention (pedal edema), ask about urine output
and function, and listen to breath and heart sounds. Do not forget to
assess for drug allergies and other drug reactions. However, the stat
order is missing something—a route. Never assume that a
medication is to be given by mouth. Even though this patient was
just admitted and may or may not have an intravenous line, the best
action is to clarify the route by which this drug should be given. The
order was taken by telephone by another nurse, so you can ask the
nurse whether a route was specified when the nurse spoke to the
prescriber. If not, the prescriber must be contacted right away for
clarification. To streamline things, the order can be checked by
another nurse or, in some facilities, the pharmacist, while you are
performing the assessment. Lastly, even though the medication is
stat, be sure to check the patient's identification with two patient
identifiers per the health care institution protocol.
◉ An 86-year-old patient is being discharged to home on digitalis
therapy and has very little information regarding the medication.
Which statement best reflects a realistic outcome of patient teaching
activities?
a) The patient and patient's daughter will state the proper way to
take the drug.
b) The nurse will provide teaching about the drug's adverse effects.
c) The patient will state all the symptoms of digitalis toxicity.
, d) The patient will call the prescriber if adverse effects occur..
Answer: a) The patient and patient's daughter will state the proper
way to take the drug.
◉ A patient has a new prescription for a blood pressure medication
that may cause him to feel dizzy during the first few days of therapy.
Which is the best nursing diagnosis for this situation?. Answer: Risk
for injury
◉ A patient's chart includes an order that reads as follows: "Atenolol
25mg once daily at 0900." Which action by the nurse is correct?
a) The nurse gives the drug via the transdermal route.
b) The nurse gives the drug orally.
c) The nurse gives the drug intravenously.
d) The nurse contacts the prescriber to clarify the dosage route..
Answer: d) The nurse contacts the prescriber to clarify the dosage
route.
