ATI RN Pharmacology
2023/2026Practice Questions,
Answers, and Rationales for Nursing
Students
## Section 1: Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics (Questions 1-20)
**1. A nurse is teaching a client about a newly prescribed medication.
Which statement by the client indicates an understanding of
pharmacokinetics?**
A) "The medication will start working immediately after I take it."
B) "My body will absorb, distribute, metabolize, and eliminate the
medication."
C) "The medication will only affect the area where I apply it."
D) "I will not experience any side effects from this medication."
**Answer: B**
,**Rationale:** Pharmacokinetics refers to how the body processes a
medication through absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
(ADME). Option A describes onset of action, not pharmacokinetics.
Option C describes local effect, and Option D is incorrect as all
medications have potential side effects .
---
**2. A nurse is reviewing the pharmacokinetics of a medication with a
client. Which factor can affect drug absorption?**
A) Liver function
B) Kidney function
C) Gastric pH and presence of food
D) Protein binding
**Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Gastric pH and the presence of food in the stomach can
significantly affect drug absorption. Liver function affects metabolism,
kidney function affects excretion, and protein binding affects
distribution .
,---
**3. A nurse is caring for a client who has a medication with a narrow
therapeutic index. Which action should the nurse take?**
A) Monitor serum drug levels closely
B) Administer the medication with food
C) Double the dose if the client misses a dose
D) Discontinue the medication if side effects occur
**Answer: A**
**Rationale:** Medications with a narrow therapeutic index (e.g.,
digoxin, lithium, warfarin, phenytoin, aminoglycosides) require close
monitoring of serum drug levels because the difference between
therapeutic and toxic doses is small .
---
**4. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication that undergoes
first-pass metabolism. Which route of administration would avoid first-
pass metabolism?**
A) Oral
, B) Sublingual
C) Rectal
D) Intravenous
**Answer: D**
**Rationale:** First-pass metabolism occurs when a medication is
absorbed from the GI tract and metabolized by the liver before
reaching systemic circulation. Intravenous administration bypasses this
entirely. Sublingual also partially bypasses first-pass metabolism .
---
**5. A nurse is teaching a client about a medication with a half-life of
12 hours. Approximately how long will it take for the medication to be
considered effectively eliminated from the body?**
A) 12 hours
B) 24 hours
C) 60 hours
D) 120 hours
**Answer: C**
2023/2026Practice Questions,
Answers, and Rationales for Nursing
Students
## Section 1: Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics (Questions 1-20)
**1. A nurse is teaching a client about a newly prescribed medication.
Which statement by the client indicates an understanding of
pharmacokinetics?**
A) "The medication will start working immediately after I take it."
B) "My body will absorb, distribute, metabolize, and eliminate the
medication."
C) "The medication will only affect the area where I apply it."
D) "I will not experience any side effects from this medication."
**Answer: B**
,**Rationale:** Pharmacokinetics refers to how the body processes a
medication through absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
(ADME). Option A describes onset of action, not pharmacokinetics.
Option C describes local effect, and Option D is incorrect as all
medications have potential side effects .
---
**2. A nurse is reviewing the pharmacokinetics of a medication with a
client. Which factor can affect drug absorption?**
A) Liver function
B) Kidney function
C) Gastric pH and presence of food
D) Protein binding
**Answer: C**
**Rationale:** Gastric pH and the presence of food in the stomach can
significantly affect drug absorption. Liver function affects metabolism,
kidney function affects excretion, and protein binding affects
distribution .
,---
**3. A nurse is caring for a client who has a medication with a narrow
therapeutic index. Which action should the nurse take?**
A) Monitor serum drug levels closely
B) Administer the medication with food
C) Double the dose if the client misses a dose
D) Discontinue the medication if side effects occur
**Answer: A**
**Rationale:** Medications with a narrow therapeutic index (e.g.,
digoxin, lithium, warfarin, phenytoin, aminoglycosides) require close
monitoring of serum drug levels because the difference between
therapeutic and toxic doses is small .
---
**4. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication that undergoes
first-pass metabolism. Which route of administration would avoid first-
pass metabolism?**
A) Oral
, B) Sublingual
C) Rectal
D) Intravenous
**Answer: D**
**Rationale:** First-pass metabolism occurs when a medication is
absorbed from the GI tract and metabolized by the liver before
reaching systemic circulation. Intravenous administration bypasses this
entirely. Sublingual also partially bypasses first-pass metabolism .
---
**5. A nurse is teaching a client about a medication with a half-life of
12 hours. Approximately how long will it take for the medication to be
considered effectively eliminated from the body?**
A) 12 hours
B) 24 hours
C) 60 hours
D) 120 hours
**Answer: C**
