BSN Exam 1: Health Assessment, Pathophysiology &
Pharmacology Intro 2026 |Galen College UPDATED
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT Answers
1. A patient describes their pain as ‘sharp and stabbing’ in the chest. This type of
information is classified as:
A. Secondary data
B. Objective data
C. Inspection data
D. Subjective data
Answer: D
Rationale: Subjective data consists of information provided by the patient that cannot be
measured directly by the nurse, such as feelings or descriptions of pain.
2. Which organ is primarily responsible for the metabolism of most
pharmacological agents?
A. Kidneys
B. Small Intestine
C. Liver
D. Pancreas
Answer: C
Rationale: The liver is the primary site of drug metabolism, where enzymes transform
drugs into metabolites for easier excretion.
,3. An increase in the size of cells in response to increased workload is known as:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: A
Rationale: Hypertrophy is the increase in the volume of an organ or tissue due to the
enlargement of its component cells.
4. When using a stethoscope, the diaphragm is best used for hearing which type
of sounds?
A. Low-pitched murmurs
B. Bruits
C. Extra heart sounds
D. High-pitched sounds like breath sounds
Answer: D
Rationale: The diaphragm of the stethoscope is designed to pick up high-pitched sounds
such as normal heart sounds, breath sounds, and bowel sounds.
5. Which route of medication administration provides 100% bioavailability?
A. Oral (PO)
B. Intravenous (IV)
C. Subcutaneous (SQ)
D. Intramuscular (IM)
Answer: B
Rationale: Intravenous administration bypasses absorption barriers and the first-pass
effect, entering the systemic circulation directly.
, 6. During which phase of the nursing process does the nurse prioritize patient
problems and set goals?
A. Planning
B. Assessment
C. Implementation
D. Evaluation
Answer: A
Rationale: In the Planning phase, the nurse establishes priorities, identifies patient-
centered goals, and selects nursing interventions.
7. What is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Chemical agents
B. Infectious agents
C. Genetic defects
D. Hypoxia
Answer: D
Rationale: Hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation, is the most common mechanism of cell injury,
leading to a decrease in ATP production.
8. The time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the body to decrease by
50% is called:
A. Onset of action
B. Half-life
C. Peak level
D. Duration of action
Answer: B
Rationale: Half-life is the time required for half of the drug to be eliminated from the body
or for the blood concentration to drop by half.
Pharmacology Intro 2026 |Galen College UPDATED
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT Answers
1. A patient describes their pain as ‘sharp and stabbing’ in the chest. This type of
information is classified as:
A. Secondary data
B. Objective data
C. Inspection data
D. Subjective data
Answer: D
Rationale: Subjective data consists of information provided by the patient that cannot be
measured directly by the nurse, such as feelings or descriptions of pain.
2. Which organ is primarily responsible for the metabolism of most
pharmacological agents?
A. Kidneys
B. Small Intestine
C. Liver
D. Pancreas
Answer: C
Rationale: The liver is the primary site of drug metabolism, where enzymes transform
drugs into metabolites for easier excretion.
,3. An increase in the size of cells in response to increased workload is known as:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: A
Rationale: Hypertrophy is the increase in the volume of an organ or tissue due to the
enlargement of its component cells.
4. When using a stethoscope, the diaphragm is best used for hearing which type
of sounds?
A. Low-pitched murmurs
B. Bruits
C. Extra heart sounds
D. High-pitched sounds like breath sounds
Answer: D
Rationale: The diaphragm of the stethoscope is designed to pick up high-pitched sounds
such as normal heart sounds, breath sounds, and bowel sounds.
5. Which route of medication administration provides 100% bioavailability?
A. Oral (PO)
B. Intravenous (IV)
C. Subcutaneous (SQ)
D. Intramuscular (IM)
Answer: B
Rationale: Intravenous administration bypasses absorption barriers and the first-pass
effect, entering the systemic circulation directly.
, 6. During which phase of the nursing process does the nurse prioritize patient
problems and set goals?
A. Planning
B. Assessment
C. Implementation
D. Evaluation
Answer: A
Rationale: In the Planning phase, the nurse establishes priorities, identifies patient-
centered goals, and selects nursing interventions.
7. What is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Chemical agents
B. Infectious agents
C. Genetic defects
D. Hypoxia
Answer: D
Rationale: Hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation, is the most common mechanism of cell injury,
leading to a decrease in ATP production.
8. The time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the body to decrease by
50% is called:
A. Onset of action
B. Half-life
C. Peak level
D. Duration of action
Answer: B
Rationale: Half-life is the time required for half of the drug to be eliminated from the body
or for the blood concentration to drop by half.
