ATI Pharmacology Practice A ACTUAL UPDATED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
A nurse is instructing a client on the application of Answer: B
nitroglycerin transdermal patches. Which of the following
statements by the client indicates an understanding of A. Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets are used to treat new onset of angina pain. A
the teaching? client who uses sublingual tablets should place one tablet under their tongue at
the onset of angina pain and continue taking a tablet every 5 min for a total of
A. "I should apply a patch every 5 minutes if I develop three doses of nitroglycerin. The effects of a nitroglycerin patch will take 30 to 60
chest pain." min to occur and are not useful to prevent an ongoing angina attack.
B. "I will take the patch off right after my evening meal."
C. "I will leave the patch off at least 1 day each week." B. Clients should remove the patch each evening for a medication free time of 12
D. "I should discard the used patch by flushing it down to 14 hr before applying a new patch to avoid developing a tolerance to the
the toilet." medication's effects.
C. Nitroglycerin is an antianginal medication that results in dilation of the coronary
vessels. Clients should apply the patch daily to sustain prophylaxis.
D. Medication remains in the transdermal patch after removing it from the body
and must be discarded safely. The nurse should instruct the client to fold the
patch ends together with the medication on the inside and place the discarded
patch in a closed container so that children and pets cannot gain access to the
medication.
,A nurse receives a verbal order from the provider to Answer: B
administer morphine five milligrams every 4 hours
subcutaneously for severe pain as needed. The nurse A. The use of the abbreviation MSO4 is prohibited by The Joint Commission. The
should identify which of the following entries as the medication name of morphine must be spelled out to reduce the risk for error.
correct format for the medication administration record
(MAR)? B. The nurse should identify this entry as the correct format for the MAR. The
medication name is spelled out and there are not any abbreviations from The Joint
A. MSO4 5 mg subcut every 4 hr PRN severe pain Commission's "Do Not Use" list included in the transcription.
B. Morphine 5 mg subcut every 4 hr PRN severe pain
C. MSO4 5 mg SQ every 4 hr PRN severe pain C. The use of the abbreviations MSO4 and SQ are prohibited by The Joint
D. Morphine 5.0 mg subcutaneously every 4 hr PRN Commission. The abbreviation SQ can be mistaken for SL and, therefore, this route
severe pain should be written as subcut, subq, or subcutaneously.
D. The trailing zero on 5.0 can be mistaken for 50 if the decimal point is missed.
Therefore, the dosage should be written as 5 mg without a trailing zero.
A nurse is caring for a client who is taking acetazolamide Answer: A
for chronic open-angle glaucoma. For which of the
following adverse effects should the nurse instruct the A. The nurse should instruct the client to report the adverse effect of paresthesia,
client to monitor and report? a tingling sensation in the extremities, when taking acetazolamide.
A. Tingling of fingers B. Diarrhea is an adverse effect of acetazolamide due to gastrointestinal
B. Constipation disturbances.
C. Weight gain
D. Oliguria C. Weight loss is an adverse effect of acetazolamide due to gastrointestinal
disturbances causing reduced appetite.
D. Polyuria, rather than oliguria, is an adverse effect of acetazolamide.
A nurse administers a dose of metformin to a client Answer: C
instead of the prescribed dose of metoclopramide.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take A. The nurse should report the incident to the charge nurse to protect the client
first? from injury. However, there is another action the nurse should take first.
A. Report the incident to the charge nurse. B. The nurse should notify the provider to protect the client from injury. However,
B. Notify the provider. there is another action the nurse should take first.
C. Check the client's blood glucose.
D. Fill out an incident report. C. The first action the nurse should take using the nursing process is to assess the
client. The client is at risk for hypoglycemia. The nurse should monitor the client's
blood glucose and provide the client with a snack to reduce the risk for
hypoglycemia.
D. The nurse should fill out an incident report to document the incident. However,
there is another action the nurse should take first. The incident report alerts the
risk manager to the incident, who then determines the cause and a plan of action
to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.
, A nurse is caring for a client who has cancer and is taking Answer: A
oral morphine and docusate sodium. The nurse should
instruct the client that taking the docusate sodium daily A. Constipation is a common adverse effect of morphine that can be minimized by
can minimize which of the following adverse effects of taking docusate sodium, a stool softener that promotes easier evacuation of stool
morphine? by increasing water and fat in the intestine.
A. Constipation B. Drowsiness is not an adverse effect of morphine that can be minimized by
B. Drowsiness taking docusate sodium.
C. Facial flushing
D. Itching C. Facial flushing is not an adverse effect of morphine that can be minimized by
taking docusate sodium.
D. Itching is not an adverse effect of morphine that can be minimized by taking
docusate sodium.
A nurse is assessing a client's vital signs prior to the Answer: C
administration of PO digoxin. The client's BP is 144/86 mm
Hg, heart rate is 55/min, and respiratory rate is 20/min. A. Digoxin increases cardiac output and reduces the heart rate. A diastolic BP of
The nurse should withhold the medication and contact 86 mm Hg is not a cause for withholding the medication and contacting the
the provider for which of the following findings? provider.
A. Diastolic BP B. Digoxin increases cardiac output and reduces the heart rate. A systolic BP of
B. Systolic BP 140 mm Hg is not a cause for withholding the medication and contacting the
C. Heart rate provider.
D. Respiratory rate
C. Digoxin slows the conduction rate through the SA and AV nodes, thereby
decreasing the heart rate. The nurse should withhold the medication and notify
the provider for a heart rate of 55/min because this is an early indication of
digoxin toxicity.
D. Digoxin increases cardiac output and reduces heart rate. A respiratory rate of
20/min is not a cause for withholding the medication and contacting the provider.
A nurse is caring for a client who received 0.9% sodium Answer: B
chloride 1 L over 4 hr instead of over 8 hr as prescribed.
Which of the following information should the nurse A. The nurse should only chart factual information in the client's medical record
enter as a complete documentation of the incident? without indicating the error that occurred.
A. IV fluid infused over 4 hr instead of the prescribed 8 B. The nurse should document the type and amount of fluid, how long it took to
hr. Client tolerated fluids well, provider notified. infuse, provider notification, and the client's physical status.
B. 0.9% sodium chloride 1 L IV infused over 4 hr. Vital signs
stable, provider notified. C. This documentation is not complete because it does not include the amount of
C. 1 L of 0.9% sodium chloride completed at 0900. Client fluid that was infused over the amount of time.
denies shortness of breath.
D. IV fluid initiated at 0500. Lungs clear to auscultation. D. This documentation is not complete because it does not include the amount of
fluid that was infused over the amount of time.
ANSWERS
A nurse is instructing a client on the application of Answer: B
nitroglycerin transdermal patches. Which of the following
statements by the client indicates an understanding of A. Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets are used to treat new onset of angina pain. A
the teaching? client who uses sublingual tablets should place one tablet under their tongue at
the onset of angina pain and continue taking a tablet every 5 min for a total of
A. "I should apply a patch every 5 minutes if I develop three doses of nitroglycerin. The effects of a nitroglycerin patch will take 30 to 60
chest pain." min to occur and are not useful to prevent an ongoing angina attack.
B. "I will take the patch off right after my evening meal."
C. "I will leave the patch off at least 1 day each week." B. Clients should remove the patch each evening for a medication free time of 12
D. "I should discard the used patch by flushing it down to 14 hr before applying a new patch to avoid developing a tolerance to the
the toilet." medication's effects.
C. Nitroglycerin is an antianginal medication that results in dilation of the coronary
vessels. Clients should apply the patch daily to sustain prophylaxis.
D. Medication remains in the transdermal patch after removing it from the body
and must be discarded safely. The nurse should instruct the client to fold the
patch ends together with the medication on the inside and place the discarded
patch in a closed container so that children and pets cannot gain access to the
medication.
,A nurse receives a verbal order from the provider to Answer: B
administer morphine five milligrams every 4 hours
subcutaneously for severe pain as needed. The nurse A. The use of the abbreviation MSO4 is prohibited by The Joint Commission. The
should identify which of the following entries as the medication name of morphine must be spelled out to reduce the risk for error.
correct format for the medication administration record
(MAR)? B. The nurse should identify this entry as the correct format for the MAR. The
medication name is spelled out and there are not any abbreviations from The Joint
A. MSO4 5 mg subcut every 4 hr PRN severe pain Commission's "Do Not Use" list included in the transcription.
B. Morphine 5 mg subcut every 4 hr PRN severe pain
C. MSO4 5 mg SQ every 4 hr PRN severe pain C. The use of the abbreviations MSO4 and SQ are prohibited by The Joint
D. Morphine 5.0 mg subcutaneously every 4 hr PRN Commission. The abbreviation SQ can be mistaken for SL and, therefore, this route
severe pain should be written as subcut, subq, or subcutaneously.
D. The trailing zero on 5.0 can be mistaken for 50 if the decimal point is missed.
Therefore, the dosage should be written as 5 mg without a trailing zero.
A nurse is caring for a client who is taking acetazolamide Answer: A
for chronic open-angle glaucoma. For which of the
following adverse effects should the nurse instruct the A. The nurse should instruct the client to report the adverse effect of paresthesia,
client to monitor and report? a tingling sensation in the extremities, when taking acetazolamide.
A. Tingling of fingers B. Diarrhea is an adverse effect of acetazolamide due to gastrointestinal
B. Constipation disturbances.
C. Weight gain
D. Oliguria C. Weight loss is an adverse effect of acetazolamide due to gastrointestinal
disturbances causing reduced appetite.
D. Polyuria, rather than oliguria, is an adverse effect of acetazolamide.
A nurse administers a dose of metformin to a client Answer: C
instead of the prescribed dose of metoclopramide.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take A. The nurse should report the incident to the charge nurse to protect the client
first? from injury. However, there is another action the nurse should take first.
A. Report the incident to the charge nurse. B. The nurse should notify the provider to protect the client from injury. However,
B. Notify the provider. there is another action the nurse should take first.
C. Check the client's blood glucose.
D. Fill out an incident report. C. The first action the nurse should take using the nursing process is to assess the
client. The client is at risk for hypoglycemia. The nurse should monitor the client's
blood glucose and provide the client with a snack to reduce the risk for
hypoglycemia.
D. The nurse should fill out an incident report to document the incident. However,
there is another action the nurse should take first. The incident report alerts the
risk manager to the incident, who then determines the cause and a plan of action
to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.
, A nurse is caring for a client who has cancer and is taking Answer: A
oral morphine and docusate sodium. The nurse should
instruct the client that taking the docusate sodium daily A. Constipation is a common adverse effect of morphine that can be minimized by
can minimize which of the following adverse effects of taking docusate sodium, a stool softener that promotes easier evacuation of stool
morphine? by increasing water and fat in the intestine.
A. Constipation B. Drowsiness is not an adverse effect of morphine that can be minimized by
B. Drowsiness taking docusate sodium.
C. Facial flushing
D. Itching C. Facial flushing is not an adverse effect of morphine that can be minimized by
taking docusate sodium.
D. Itching is not an adverse effect of morphine that can be minimized by taking
docusate sodium.
A nurse is assessing a client's vital signs prior to the Answer: C
administration of PO digoxin. The client's BP is 144/86 mm
Hg, heart rate is 55/min, and respiratory rate is 20/min. A. Digoxin increases cardiac output and reduces the heart rate. A diastolic BP of
The nurse should withhold the medication and contact 86 mm Hg is not a cause for withholding the medication and contacting the
the provider for which of the following findings? provider.
A. Diastolic BP B. Digoxin increases cardiac output and reduces the heart rate. A systolic BP of
B. Systolic BP 140 mm Hg is not a cause for withholding the medication and contacting the
C. Heart rate provider.
D. Respiratory rate
C. Digoxin slows the conduction rate through the SA and AV nodes, thereby
decreasing the heart rate. The nurse should withhold the medication and notify
the provider for a heart rate of 55/min because this is an early indication of
digoxin toxicity.
D. Digoxin increases cardiac output and reduces heart rate. A respiratory rate of
20/min is not a cause for withholding the medication and contacting the provider.
A nurse is caring for a client who received 0.9% sodium Answer: B
chloride 1 L over 4 hr instead of over 8 hr as prescribed.
Which of the following information should the nurse A. The nurse should only chart factual information in the client's medical record
enter as a complete documentation of the incident? without indicating the error that occurred.
A. IV fluid infused over 4 hr instead of the prescribed 8 B. The nurse should document the type and amount of fluid, how long it took to
hr. Client tolerated fluids well, provider notified. infuse, provider notification, and the client's physical status.
B. 0.9% sodium chloride 1 L IV infused over 4 hr. Vital signs
stable, provider notified. C. This documentation is not complete because it does not include the amount of
C. 1 L of 0.9% sodium chloride completed at 0900. Client fluid that was infused over the amount of time.
denies shortness of breath.
D. IV fluid initiated at 0500. Lungs clear to auscultation. D. This documentation is not complete because it does not include the amount of
fluid that was infused over the amount of time.
