,NURS 251 Pharmacology Final Module Exam | Portage
1. Which term describes the study of how drugs affect the physiologic processes of living organisms?
A) Pharmaceutics
B) Pharmacodynamics
C) Pharmacology
D) Pharmacokinetics
Correct Answer: Pharmacology
Rationale: Pharmacology is the broad study of drugs and their effects on living organisms.
Pharmacokinetics describes what the body does to the drug, while pharmacodynamics describes what
the drug does to the body. Pharmaceutics is the study of how dosage forms influence drug effects.
2. A patient asks the nurse why an intravenous (IV) medication works faster than an oral medication.
Which response by the nurse is most accurate?
A) "IV medications are more potent than oral medications."
B) "IV medications do not require absorption and enter the bloodstream directly."
C) "Oral medications are always weaker than IV medications."
D) "Oral medications take longer to be prescribed."
Correct Answer: "IV medications do not require absorption and enter the bloodstream directly."
Rationale: The intravenous route delivers medication directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the
absorption phase and providing 100% bioavailability. This results in a faster onset of action compared
to oral medications, which must be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.
3. The nurse is calculating a pediatric dose based on body weight. The order is for 10 mg/kg/day
divided into two doses. The child weighs 22 kg. How many milligrams should the child receive per
dose?
A) 110 mg
B) 220 mg
,C) 1100 mg
D) 2200 mg
Correct Answer: 110 mg
Rationale: First, calculate the total daily dose: 10 mg/kg/day × 22 kg = 220 mg/day. Then, divide by the
number of doses per day (2): 220 mg/day ÷ 2 doses = 110 mg per dose. This is a standard weight-based
calculation for pediatric patients.
4. Which pharmacokinetic process is most affected by the "First-Pass Effect"?
A) Absorption in the small intestine
B) Distribution to the target tissues
C) Metabolism by the liver
D) Excretion by the kidneys
Correct Answer: Metabolism by the liver
Rationale: The first-pass effect occurs when an oral drug is absorbed from the GI tract and carried to
the liver via the portal vein. The liver metabolizes a significant portion of the drug before it reaches
systemic circulation.
5. A drug that binds to a receptor and activates it to produce a response is known as a(n):
A) Antagonist
B) Agonist
C) Partial agonist
D) Inhibitor
Correct Answer: Agonist
, Rationale: An agonist binds to a receptor and activates it, producing a biological response. An
antagonist binds but does not activate the receptor. A partial agonist produces a submaximal
response even when all receptors are occupied.
6. Which of the following is a characteristic of a competitive antagonist?
A) It binds to a different site than the agonist
B) It irreversibly blocks the receptor
C) It binds to the same site as the agonist
D) It produces a stronger effect than the agonist
Correct Answer: It binds to the same site as the agonist
Rationale: A competitive antagonist binds reversibly to the same receptor site as the agonist, blocking
the agonist from binding and producing an effect. Increasing the concentration of the agonist can
overcome the antagonism.
7. A patient with end-stage renal disease is prescribed a medication that is primarily excreted by the
kidneys. The nurse should monitor for which of the following?
A) Decreased therapeutic effect
B) Increased risk of drug toxicity
C) Rapid onset of action
D) Increased drug absorption
Correct Answer: Increased risk of drug toxicity
Rationale: If a medication is primarily excreted by the kidneys and the patient has renal impairment,
the drug may accumulate in the body, leading to increased plasma levels and a higher risk of toxicity.
8. A nurse is teaching a patient about medication administration. Which statement correctly defines
pharmacokinetics?
A) The study of how drugs affect the body
1. Which term describes the study of how drugs affect the physiologic processes of living organisms?
A) Pharmaceutics
B) Pharmacodynamics
C) Pharmacology
D) Pharmacokinetics
Correct Answer: Pharmacology
Rationale: Pharmacology is the broad study of drugs and their effects on living organisms.
Pharmacokinetics describes what the body does to the drug, while pharmacodynamics describes what
the drug does to the body. Pharmaceutics is the study of how dosage forms influence drug effects.
2. A patient asks the nurse why an intravenous (IV) medication works faster than an oral medication.
Which response by the nurse is most accurate?
A) "IV medications are more potent than oral medications."
B) "IV medications do not require absorption and enter the bloodstream directly."
C) "Oral medications are always weaker than IV medications."
D) "Oral medications take longer to be prescribed."
Correct Answer: "IV medications do not require absorption and enter the bloodstream directly."
Rationale: The intravenous route delivers medication directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the
absorption phase and providing 100% bioavailability. This results in a faster onset of action compared
to oral medications, which must be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.
3. The nurse is calculating a pediatric dose based on body weight. The order is for 10 mg/kg/day
divided into two doses. The child weighs 22 kg. How many milligrams should the child receive per
dose?
A) 110 mg
B) 220 mg
,C) 1100 mg
D) 2200 mg
Correct Answer: 110 mg
Rationale: First, calculate the total daily dose: 10 mg/kg/day × 22 kg = 220 mg/day. Then, divide by the
number of doses per day (2): 220 mg/day ÷ 2 doses = 110 mg per dose. This is a standard weight-based
calculation for pediatric patients.
4. Which pharmacokinetic process is most affected by the "First-Pass Effect"?
A) Absorption in the small intestine
B) Distribution to the target tissues
C) Metabolism by the liver
D) Excretion by the kidneys
Correct Answer: Metabolism by the liver
Rationale: The first-pass effect occurs when an oral drug is absorbed from the GI tract and carried to
the liver via the portal vein. The liver metabolizes a significant portion of the drug before it reaches
systemic circulation.
5. A drug that binds to a receptor and activates it to produce a response is known as a(n):
A) Antagonist
B) Agonist
C) Partial agonist
D) Inhibitor
Correct Answer: Agonist
, Rationale: An agonist binds to a receptor and activates it, producing a biological response. An
antagonist binds but does not activate the receptor. A partial agonist produces a submaximal
response even when all receptors are occupied.
6. Which of the following is a characteristic of a competitive antagonist?
A) It binds to a different site than the agonist
B) It irreversibly blocks the receptor
C) It binds to the same site as the agonist
D) It produces a stronger effect than the agonist
Correct Answer: It binds to the same site as the agonist
Rationale: A competitive antagonist binds reversibly to the same receptor site as the agonist, blocking
the agonist from binding and producing an effect. Increasing the concentration of the agonist can
overcome the antagonism.
7. A patient with end-stage renal disease is prescribed a medication that is primarily excreted by the
kidneys. The nurse should monitor for which of the following?
A) Decreased therapeutic effect
B) Increased risk of drug toxicity
C) Rapid onset of action
D) Increased drug absorption
Correct Answer: Increased risk of drug toxicity
Rationale: If a medication is primarily excreted by the kidneys and the patient has renal impairment,
the drug may accumulate in the body, leading to increased plasma levels and a higher risk of toxicity.
8. A nurse is teaching a patient about medication administration. Which statement correctly defines
pharmacokinetics?
A) The study of how drugs affect the body
