Principles of Pharmacology NUR 210
Exam 1 Prep Test Bank with a Review of
the Latest 350 Course Review Questions
and Correct Answers Graded A+ Galen/
NUR 210 Exam 1 Prep
SECTION 1: PHARMACOKINETICS & PHARMACODYNAMICS
Question 1
Which term best describes "what the body does to the drug," including absorption,
distribution, metabolism, and excretion?
A) Pharmacodynamics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacokinetics
D) Toxicology
Correct Answer: C) Pharmacokinetics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics refers to the movement of drugs through the body via
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). Pharmacodynamics
describes "what the drug does to the body" —the effects and mechanisms of action.
,Pharmacotherapeutics focuses on the clinical use of drugs to treat disease, while
toxicology studies adverse effects and poisons .
Question 2
A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a biological response is called a(n):
A) Antagonist
B) Agonist
C) Partial agonist
D) Competitive inhibitor
Correct Answer: B) Agonist
Rationale: An agonist activates a receptor and produces a response.
An antagonist blocks the receptor and produces no response. A partial
agonist produces a weaker response than a full agonist, even at full receptor occupancy.
Understanding this distinction is fundamental to pharmacodynamics .
Question 3
The nurse understands that the pharmaceutic phase of drug action involves:
A) Absorption of the drug into the bloodstream
B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
C) Distribution of the drug to target tissues
D) Excretion of the drug via the kidneys
Correct Answer: B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
Rationale: The pharmaceutic phase is the first phase, where the solid drug dissolves
into a liquid so it can be absorbed. Most oral absorption occurs in the small intestine.
The other options represent different phases of pharmacokinetics: absorption,
distribution, and excretion .
,Question 4
A patient asks the nurse, "What does 'first-pass effect' mean?" The best response is:
A) "The drug is absorbed faster when taken on an empty stomach."
B) "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing its
bioavailability."
C) "The drug is excreted unchanged by the kidneys."
D) "The drug binds to plasma proteins and becomes inactive."
Correct Answer: B) The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic
circulation, reducing its bioavailability
Rationale: First-pass effect refers to the metabolism of an oral drug by the liver before
it reaches systemic circulation, which reduces the amount of active drug available
(bioavailability). This is why some drugs require higher oral doses compared to IV
administration .
Question 5
A medication given by which route has 100% bioavailability?
A) Oral
B) Sublingual
C) Intravenous
D) Intramuscular
Correct Answer: C) Intravenous
Rationale: Intravenous administration places the drug directly into the bloodstream,
bypassing absorption and first-pass metabolism, resulting in 100% bioavailability. Oral,
sublingual, and intramuscular routes all have lower bioavailability due to various
barriers .
, Question 6
The nurse is preparing to administer an oral medication and wants to ensure rapid drug
action. Which form of the medication will the nurse administer?
A) Capsule
B) Enteric-coated pill
C) Liquid suspension
D) Tablet
Correct Answer: C) Liquid suspension
Rationale: Liquid drugs are already in solution, which is the form necessary for
absorption in the GI tract. Capsules, enteric-coated pills, and tablets must disintegrate
into small particles and then dissolve before being absorbed, causing a delay in onset .
Question 7
Which drug will go through a disintegration process after it is administered?
A) Intramuscular (IM) cephalosporins
B) Intravenous (IV) vasopressors
C) Oral analgesics
D) Subcutaneous antiglycemics
Correct Answer: C) Oral analgesics
Rationale: When drugs are administered parenterally (IM, IV, subcutaneous), there is no
disintegration process. Disintegration occurs when a drug becomes a solution that can
cross the biologic membrane—this only applies to oral medications that must dissolve
in the GI tract .
Question 8
Exam 1 Prep Test Bank with a Review of
the Latest 350 Course Review Questions
and Correct Answers Graded A+ Galen/
NUR 210 Exam 1 Prep
SECTION 1: PHARMACOKINETICS & PHARMACODYNAMICS
Question 1
Which term best describes "what the body does to the drug," including absorption,
distribution, metabolism, and excretion?
A) Pharmacodynamics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacokinetics
D) Toxicology
Correct Answer: C) Pharmacokinetics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics refers to the movement of drugs through the body via
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). Pharmacodynamics
describes "what the drug does to the body" —the effects and mechanisms of action.
,Pharmacotherapeutics focuses on the clinical use of drugs to treat disease, while
toxicology studies adverse effects and poisons .
Question 2
A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a biological response is called a(n):
A) Antagonist
B) Agonist
C) Partial agonist
D) Competitive inhibitor
Correct Answer: B) Agonist
Rationale: An agonist activates a receptor and produces a response.
An antagonist blocks the receptor and produces no response. A partial
agonist produces a weaker response than a full agonist, even at full receptor occupancy.
Understanding this distinction is fundamental to pharmacodynamics .
Question 3
The nurse understands that the pharmaceutic phase of drug action involves:
A) Absorption of the drug into the bloodstream
B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
C) Distribution of the drug to target tissues
D) Excretion of the drug via the kidneys
Correct Answer: B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
Rationale: The pharmaceutic phase is the first phase, where the solid drug dissolves
into a liquid so it can be absorbed. Most oral absorption occurs in the small intestine.
The other options represent different phases of pharmacokinetics: absorption,
distribution, and excretion .
,Question 4
A patient asks the nurse, "What does 'first-pass effect' mean?" The best response is:
A) "The drug is absorbed faster when taken on an empty stomach."
B) "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing its
bioavailability."
C) "The drug is excreted unchanged by the kidneys."
D) "The drug binds to plasma proteins and becomes inactive."
Correct Answer: B) The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic
circulation, reducing its bioavailability
Rationale: First-pass effect refers to the metabolism of an oral drug by the liver before
it reaches systemic circulation, which reduces the amount of active drug available
(bioavailability). This is why some drugs require higher oral doses compared to IV
administration .
Question 5
A medication given by which route has 100% bioavailability?
A) Oral
B) Sublingual
C) Intravenous
D) Intramuscular
Correct Answer: C) Intravenous
Rationale: Intravenous administration places the drug directly into the bloodstream,
bypassing absorption and first-pass metabolism, resulting in 100% bioavailability. Oral,
sublingual, and intramuscular routes all have lower bioavailability due to various
barriers .
, Question 6
The nurse is preparing to administer an oral medication and wants to ensure rapid drug
action. Which form of the medication will the nurse administer?
A) Capsule
B) Enteric-coated pill
C) Liquid suspension
D) Tablet
Correct Answer: C) Liquid suspension
Rationale: Liquid drugs are already in solution, which is the form necessary for
absorption in the GI tract. Capsules, enteric-coated pills, and tablets must disintegrate
into small particles and then dissolve before being absorbed, causing a delay in onset .
Question 7
Which drug will go through a disintegration process after it is administered?
A) Intramuscular (IM) cephalosporins
B) Intravenous (IV) vasopressors
C) Oral analgesics
D) Subcutaneous antiglycemics
Correct Answer: C) Oral analgesics
Rationale: When drugs are administered parenterally (IM, IV, subcutaneous), there is no
disintegration process. Disintegration occurs when a drug becomes a solution that can
cross the biologic membrane—this only applies to oral medications that must dissolve
in the GI tract .
Question 8
