NUR 378 Final Exam V2 | NUR 378
Pharmacology in Nursing | Actual Q&A
with Rationale (NUR378 Final Exam) |
Concordia
1. A nurse is administering a medication with a half-life of 4 hours. If the initial dose is 400
mg, how much medication will remain in the patient’s system after 12 hours?
A. 200 mg
B. 100 mg
C. 50 mg
D. 25 mg
Correct Answer: C
The half-life represents the time required for the concentration of a drug in the body to be
reduced by half. After 4 hours (one half-life), 200 mg remains; after 8 hours (two half-
lives), 100 mg remains; and after 12 hours (three half-lives), 50 mg remains.
Understanding pharmacokinetics is essential for maintaining therapeutic drug levels and
avoiding toxicity.
2. Which pharmacokinetic process is most significantly affected by a patient’s liver cirrhosis?
A. Absorption
B. Distribution
,C. Excretion
D. Metabolism
Correct Answer: D
The liver is the primary organ responsible for drug metabolism, utilizing enzymes such as
the cytochrome P450 system. Cirrhosis impairs the liver’s ability to chemically alter drugs,
which can lead to drug accumulation and toxic effects. Nurses must monitor liver function
tests (ALT/AST) closely in patients with hepatic impairment receiving pharmacological
therapy.
3. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a physiological response that mimics the
endogenous substance is known as a(n):
A. Antagonist
B. Inverse Agonist
C. Partial Antagonist
D. Agonist
Correct Answer: D
An agonist is a medication that binds to a specific receptor and activates it to produce a
biological response. In contrast, an antagonist binds to the receptor but blocks its
activation by other substances. This concept of pharmacodynamics is fundamental to
understanding how drugs interact at the cellular level to achieve therapeutic outcomes.
, 4. Which route of administration provides the highest bioavailability by bypassing the first-
pass effect?
A. Oral (PO)
B. Rectal (PR)
C. Nasogastric (NG)
D. Intravenous (IV)
Correct Answer: D
Bioavailability is the fraction of an administered dose that reaches the systemic circulation
unchanged. Intravenous administration delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream,
achieving 100% bioavailability and completely bypassing the liver’s first-pass metabolism.
This route is preferred in emergency situations where rapid onset of action is required.
5. According to safe nursing practice, which of the following are considered the ‘Rights of
Medication Administration’ that must be verified before each dose?
A. Right Patient, Right Drug, Right Dose
B. Right Route, Right Time, Right Documentation
C. Right Patient, Right Drug, Right Documentation, Right Facility
D. Right Reason, Right Response, Right To Refuse
E. All of the above (Patient, Drug, Dose, Route, Time, Documentation, Reason, Response,
Refusal)
Pharmacology in Nursing | Actual Q&A
with Rationale (NUR378 Final Exam) |
Concordia
1. A nurse is administering a medication with a half-life of 4 hours. If the initial dose is 400
mg, how much medication will remain in the patient’s system after 12 hours?
A. 200 mg
B. 100 mg
C. 50 mg
D. 25 mg
Correct Answer: C
The half-life represents the time required for the concentration of a drug in the body to be
reduced by half. After 4 hours (one half-life), 200 mg remains; after 8 hours (two half-
lives), 100 mg remains; and after 12 hours (three half-lives), 50 mg remains.
Understanding pharmacokinetics is essential for maintaining therapeutic drug levels and
avoiding toxicity.
2. Which pharmacokinetic process is most significantly affected by a patient’s liver cirrhosis?
A. Absorption
B. Distribution
,C. Excretion
D. Metabolism
Correct Answer: D
The liver is the primary organ responsible for drug metabolism, utilizing enzymes such as
the cytochrome P450 system. Cirrhosis impairs the liver’s ability to chemically alter drugs,
which can lead to drug accumulation and toxic effects. Nurses must monitor liver function
tests (ALT/AST) closely in patients with hepatic impairment receiving pharmacological
therapy.
3. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a physiological response that mimics the
endogenous substance is known as a(n):
A. Antagonist
B. Inverse Agonist
C. Partial Antagonist
D. Agonist
Correct Answer: D
An agonist is a medication that binds to a specific receptor and activates it to produce a
biological response. In contrast, an antagonist binds to the receptor but blocks its
activation by other substances. This concept of pharmacodynamics is fundamental to
understanding how drugs interact at the cellular level to achieve therapeutic outcomes.
, 4. Which route of administration provides the highest bioavailability by bypassing the first-
pass effect?
A. Oral (PO)
B. Rectal (PR)
C. Nasogastric (NG)
D. Intravenous (IV)
Correct Answer: D
Bioavailability is the fraction of an administered dose that reaches the systemic circulation
unchanged. Intravenous administration delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream,
achieving 100% bioavailability and completely bypassing the liver’s first-pass metabolism.
This route is preferred in emergency situations where rapid onset of action is required.
5. According to safe nursing practice, which of the following are considered the ‘Rights of
Medication Administration’ that must be verified before each dose?
A. Right Patient, Right Drug, Right Dose
B. Right Route, Right Time, Right Documentation
C. Right Patient, Right Drug, Right Documentation, Right Facility
D. Right Reason, Right Response, Right To Refuse
E. All of the above (Patient, Drug, Dose, Route, Time, Documentation, Reason, Response,
Refusal)
