Test Bank for Understanding Pharmacology Essentials for
Medication Safety, 3rd Edition by M. Linda Workman &
LaCharity 400 Questions & Answers
Section 1: Drug Regulation, Actions, and Responses (Questions 1-20)
,1. Which health care professional has the major responsibility for dispensing prescribed drugs
under the direction of a pharmacist?
• A. Physician
• B. Nurse practitioner
• C. Licensed nurse
• D. Pharmacy technician
Answer: D. Pharmacy technician
Rationale: The physician and nurse practitioner have the major responsibility for prescribing drugs,
not dispensing them. The licensed nurse has the primary responsibility for administering drugs,
although under some circumstances a licensed nurse may dispense prescribed drugs but this is not
his or her major responsibility in drug therapy. The pharmacy technician has the major responsibility
of dispensing prescribed drugs under the direction of a licensed pharmacist.
2. Which term describes the effect of a drug that improves body function?
• A. Side effect
• B. Intended action
• C. Adverse reaction
• D. Idiosyncratic response
Answer: B. Intended action
Rationale: The purpose of drug therapy is to take a drug to prevent, reduce, or correct a health
problem. This response is any drug's intended action, also known as a therapeutic response.
3. Which type of drug name is "owned" by the company that manufactures it?
• A. Generic name
• B. Chemical name
• C. Category name
• D. Trade name
Answer: D. Trade name
Rationale: The chemical name is a drug's exact chemical composition. The generic name is the name
assigned to the drug by the U.S. Adopted Names Council and is not owned by anyone. The category
name refers to the type of drug (what it does or what it is used for) and is not an actual drug name.
The trade name (brand name) is the name provided and owned by a specific drug's manufacturer.
4. Which drug or drug class is a "high alert" drug?
, • A. Penicillin
• B. Insulin
• C. NSAIDs
• D. Calcium
Answer: B. Insulin
Rationale: A high alert drug is one in which harm is likely to result if given at the wrong dose, to the
wrong patient, or not given to the correct patient. Drugs classified as high alert drugs include
potassium, narcotics (opioids), insulin, cancer chemotherapy drugs, and heparin (or any drug that
strongly affects blood clotting). Penicillin, NSAIDs, and calcium are not considered high alert drugs.
5. What is the term for a drug that has the same action as a naturally occurring body hormone or
enzyme?
• A. Agonist
• B. Blocking agent
• C. Chemical
• D. Duplicator
Answer: A. Agonist
Rationale: A drug agonist is an extrinsic drug that activates the receptor sites of a cell and mimics
the actions of naturally occurring body substances (intrinsic drugs). A blocking agent is a drug
antagonist. A chemical would not necessarily be a drug at all. A duplicator is not a pharmacologic
term.
6. Which term describes how the body affects drug activity?
• A. Drug potency
• B. Pharmacodynamics
• C. Therapeutic effect
• D. Pharmacokinetics
Answer: D. Pharmacokinetics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics refers to drug metabolism and how the body changes a drug.
Pharmacodynamics refers to how a drug works to change body function. Drug potency refers to how
strongly or to what degree a drug exerts its effects. The therapeutic effect is closer to
pharmacodynamics, meaning how a drug works to change body function.
7. In the United States, which group is responsible for enforcing established standards for drug
manufacturing?
, • A. U.S. Pharmacopeia
• B. National Institutes of Health
• C. Food and Drug Administration
• D. Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers
Answer: C. Food and Drug Administration
Rationale: The standards for drug manufacture are established by the U.S. Pharmacopeia. These
standards are enforced by the Food and Drug Administration. Neither the National Institutes of
Health nor the Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers has any authority to enforce drug
standards.
8. Which factor is a major disadvantage of the transdermal drug delivery route?
• A. Only a prescriber can administer drugs by the transdermal route.
• B. Transdermal drugs must be sterile rather than clean.
• C. First pass drug loss by this route is the most extensive.
• D. Drug absorption is dependent on adequate circulation.
Answer: D. Drug absorption is dependent on adequate circulation.
Rationale: Once a transdermal drug moves through the skin, it must enter the bloodstream to reach
its target tissue. If circulation is poor to the area where the transdermal drug is applied, very little, if
any, of the drug will reach its target tissue.
9. How are intrinsic drugs different from extrinsic drugs?
• A. Intrinsic drugs are made by the body, whereas extrinsic drugs are made outside the body.
• B. Intrinsic drugs are administered by the parenteral route, whereas extrinsic drugs are
administered by the oral route.
• C. Extrinsic drugs can only be applied to the skin or mucous membranes, whereas intrinsic
drugs are taken internally.
• D. Extrinsic drugs require a prescription for administration, whereas intrinsic drugs are
available over-the-counter.
Answer: A. Intrinsic drugs are made by the body, whereas extrinsic drugs are made outside the
body.
Rationale: Intrinsic drugs are the hormones, enzymes, and other chemicals made by the body that
change cell activity. Extrinsic drugs are manufactured from chemical, animal, or plant sources and
must have a means of entering the body in order to change cell activity.
Medication Safety, 3rd Edition by M. Linda Workman &
LaCharity 400 Questions & Answers
Section 1: Drug Regulation, Actions, and Responses (Questions 1-20)
,1. Which health care professional has the major responsibility for dispensing prescribed drugs
under the direction of a pharmacist?
• A. Physician
• B. Nurse practitioner
• C. Licensed nurse
• D. Pharmacy technician
Answer: D. Pharmacy technician
Rationale: The physician and nurse practitioner have the major responsibility for prescribing drugs,
not dispensing them. The licensed nurse has the primary responsibility for administering drugs,
although under some circumstances a licensed nurse may dispense prescribed drugs but this is not
his or her major responsibility in drug therapy. The pharmacy technician has the major responsibility
of dispensing prescribed drugs under the direction of a licensed pharmacist.
2. Which term describes the effect of a drug that improves body function?
• A. Side effect
• B. Intended action
• C. Adverse reaction
• D. Idiosyncratic response
Answer: B. Intended action
Rationale: The purpose of drug therapy is to take a drug to prevent, reduce, or correct a health
problem. This response is any drug's intended action, also known as a therapeutic response.
3. Which type of drug name is "owned" by the company that manufactures it?
• A. Generic name
• B. Chemical name
• C. Category name
• D. Trade name
Answer: D. Trade name
Rationale: The chemical name is a drug's exact chemical composition. The generic name is the name
assigned to the drug by the U.S. Adopted Names Council and is not owned by anyone. The category
name refers to the type of drug (what it does or what it is used for) and is not an actual drug name.
The trade name (brand name) is the name provided and owned by a specific drug's manufacturer.
4. Which drug or drug class is a "high alert" drug?
, • A. Penicillin
• B. Insulin
• C. NSAIDs
• D. Calcium
Answer: B. Insulin
Rationale: A high alert drug is one in which harm is likely to result if given at the wrong dose, to the
wrong patient, or not given to the correct patient. Drugs classified as high alert drugs include
potassium, narcotics (opioids), insulin, cancer chemotherapy drugs, and heparin (or any drug that
strongly affects blood clotting). Penicillin, NSAIDs, and calcium are not considered high alert drugs.
5. What is the term for a drug that has the same action as a naturally occurring body hormone or
enzyme?
• A. Agonist
• B. Blocking agent
• C. Chemical
• D. Duplicator
Answer: A. Agonist
Rationale: A drug agonist is an extrinsic drug that activates the receptor sites of a cell and mimics
the actions of naturally occurring body substances (intrinsic drugs). A blocking agent is a drug
antagonist. A chemical would not necessarily be a drug at all. A duplicator is not a pharmacologic
term.
6. Which term describes how the body affects drug activity?
• A. Drug potency
• B. Pharmacodynamics
• C. Therapeutic effect
• D. Pharmacokinetics
Answer: D. Pharmacokinetics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics refers to drug metabolism and how the body changes a drug.
Pharmacodynamics refers to how a drug works to change body function. Drug potency refers to how
strongly or to what degree a drug exerts its effects. The therapeutic effect is closer to
pharmacodynamics, meaning how a drug works to change body function.
7. In the United States, which group is responsible for enforcing established standards for drug
manufacturing?
, • A. U.S. Pharmacopeia
• B. National Institutes of Health
• C. Food and Drug Administration
• D. Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers
Answer: C. Food and Drug Administration
Rationale: The standards for drug manufacture are established by the U.S. Pharmacopeia. These
standards are enforced by the Food and Drug Administration. Neither the National Institutes of
Health nor the Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers has any authority to enforce drug
standards.
8. Which factor is a major disadvantage of the transdermal drug delivery route?
• A. Only a prescriber can administer drugs by the transdermal route.
• B. Transdermal drugs must be sterile rather than clean.
• C. First pass drug loss by this route is the most extensive.
• D. Drug absorption is dependent on adequate circulation.
Answer: D. Drug absorption is dependent on adequate circulation.
Rationale: Once a transdermal drug moves through the skin, it must enter the bloodstream to reach
its target tissue. If circulation is poor to the area where the transdermal drug is applied, very little, if
any, of the drug will reach its target tissue.
9. How are intrinsic drugs different from extrinsic drugs?
• A. Intrinsic drugs are made by the body, whereas extrinsic drugs are made outside the body.
• B. Intrinsic drugs are administered by the parenteral route, whereas extrinsic drugs are
administered by the oral route.
• C. Extrinsic drugs can only be applied to the skin or mucous membranes, whereas intrinsic
drugs are taken internally.
• D. Extrinsic drugs require a prescription for administration, whereas intrinsic drugs are
available over-the-counter.
Answer: A. Intrinsic drugs are made by the body, whereas extrinsic drugs are made outside the
body.
Rationale: Intrinsic drugs are the hormones, enzymes, and other chemicals made by the body that
change cell activity. Extrinsic drugs are manufactured from chemical, animal, or plant sources and
must have a means of entering the body in order to change cell activity.
