RNSG 1327 LATEST EXAM QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS - UPDATED 2026/2027
Q: What is pharmacology? ANSWER The study of drugs and their
interactions with living organisms.
Q: What is pharmacokinetics? ANSWER The study of how the body
absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and excretes a drug (ADME).
Q: What is pharmacodynamics? ANSWER The study of how a drug affects
the body at the cellular/receptor level.
Q: What is the first-pass effect? ANSWER The initial metabolism of an
oral drug in the liver before it reaches systemic circulation, reducing its
bioavailability.
Q: Which routes of administration bypass the first-pass effect? ANSWER
Sublingual, IV, intramuscular, subcutaneous, and rectal.
Q: What is a drug's half-life? ANSWER The time it takes for the
concentration of the drug in the body to decrease by 50%.
Q: How many half-lives does it take for a drug to reach steady state?
ANSWER Approximately 4 to 5 half-lives.
Q: What is the "peak" level of a drug? ANSWER The highest blood level of
a drug, indicating when it is most effective.
Q: What is the "trough" level of a drug? ANSWER The lowest blood level
of a drug, drawn just before the next dose to ensure it isn't toxic.
Q: What is the therapeutic index (TI)? ANSWER The ratio between a
drug's toxic dose and its therapeutic dose.
Q: Is a narrow therapeutic index considered safe or dangerous? ANSWER
Dangerous, because a small increase in dose can cause toxicity (e.g.,
Digoxin, Lithium).
Q: What are the "Five Rights" of medication administration? ANSWER
Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time.
,Q: What are three additional "Rights" in modern nursing? ANSWER Right
documentation, right reason, and right response.
Q: What is an adverse effect? ANSWER An unintended, harmful reaction
to a drug occurring at normal doses.
Q: What is a side effect? ANSWER A predictable, secondary, often mild
effect of a drug (e.g., drowsiness from antihistamines).
Q: What is an allergic reaction? ANSWER An immunologic response to a
drug, ranging from a rash to anaphylaxis.
Q: What is anaphylaxis? ANSWER A severe, life-threatening allergic
reaction characterized by bronchospasm, hypotension, and angioedema.
Q: What is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis? ANSWER Epinephrine
(IM).
Q: What is a contraindication? ANSWER A condition in which a drug
should NOT be given because it may cause harm.
Q: What is an absolute contraindication? ANSWER A condition that
completely prohibits the use of a drug (e.g., giving penicillin to a patient
with a penicillin allergy).
Q: What is a relative contraindication? ANSWER A condition where the
drug should be used with caution because the risks may outweigh the
benefits.
Q: What is drug tolerance? ANSWER A decreased response to a drug over
time, requiring a higher dose to achieve the same effect.
Q: What is drug dependence? ANSWER A physical or psychological need
for a drug to function normally.
Q: What is a placebo? ANSWER An inactive substance given to satisfy a
patient's expectation of receiving medication.
Q: What is a black box warning? ANSWER The strictest warning issued by
the FDA, alerting to serious or life-threatening risks.
Q: What is a teratogenic effect? ANSWER A drug-induced birth defect.
Q: What is Pregnancy Category X? ANSWER Drugs that are absolutely
contraindicated in pregnancy because risks to the fetus clearly outweigh
any potential benefit.
, Q: What is the nursing process step specifically used to evaluate drug
therapy? ANSWER Evaluation (assessing the patient's response to the
medication).
Q: Why do elderly patients often require lower drug doses? ANSWER Due
to decreased liver metabolism, decreased renal excretion, and lower total
body water.
Q: What is a drug interaction? ANSWER An alteration in the effect of a
drug caused by the presence of another drug, food, or substance.
Section 2: Autonomic Nervous System: Cholinergics & Anticholinergics
(31-60)
Q: What does the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) regulate?
ANSWER "Rest and digest" functions.
Q: What are the primary neurotransmitters of the PNS? ANSWER
Acetylcholine (ACh).
Q: What are cholinergic receptors? ANSWER Muscarinic and Nicotinic
receptors that respond to acetylcholine.
Q: What are the effects of cholinergic (parasympathetic) stimulation?
ANSWER Decreased heart rate, increased digestion, increased urination,
pupillary constriction, and bronchoconstriction.
Q: What is a direct-acting cholinergic agonist? ANSWER A drug that
mimics acetylcholine by binding directly to receptors (e.g., Bethanechol).
Q: What is Bethanechol used for? ANSWER To treat urinary retention and
neurogenic bladder after surgery.
Q: What is a critical nursing intervention before giving Bethanechol?
ANSWER Ensure the patient does not have a urinary tract obstruction
(can cause bladder rupture).
Q: What is an indirect-acting cholinergic drug? ANSWER An
anticholinesterase that blocks the enzyme that breaks down ACh, allowing
it to build up (e.g., Neostigmine, Pyridostigmine).
Q: What condition are anticholinesterases primarily used to treat?
ANSWER Myasthenia Gravis.
Q: What is the antidote for anticholinesterase overdose? ANSWER
Atropine.
ANSWERS - UPDATED 2026/2027
Q: What is pharmacology? ANSWER The study of drugs and their
interactions with living organisms.
Q: What is pharmacokinetics? ANSWER The study of how the body
absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and excretes a drug (ADME).
Q: What is pharmacodynamics? ANSWER The study of how a drug affects
the body at the cellular/receptor level.
Q: What is the first-pass effect? ANSWER The initial metabolism of an
oral drug in the liver before it reaches systemic circulation, reducing its
bioavailability.
Q: Which routes of administration bypass the first-pass effect? ANSWER
Sublingual, IV, intramuscular, subcutaneous, and rectal.
Q: What is a drug's half-life? ANSWER The time it takes for the
concentration of the drug in the body to decrease by 50%.
Q: How many half-lives does it take for a drug to reach steady state?
ANSWER Approximately 4 to 5 half-lives.
Q: What is the "peak" level of a drug? ANSWER The highest blood level of
a drug, indicating when it is most effective.
Q: What is the "trough" level of a drug? ANSWER The lowest blood level
of a drug, drawn just before the next dose to ensure it isn't toxic.
Q: What is the therapeutic index (TI)? ANSWER The ratio between a
drug's toxic dose and its therapeutic dose.
Q: Is a narrow therapeutic index considered safe or dangerous? ANSWER
Dangerous, because a small increase in dose can cause toxicity (e.g.,
Digoxin, Lithium).
Q: What are the "Five Rights" of medication administration? ANSWER
Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time.
,Q: What are three additional "Rights" in modern nursing? ANSWER Right
documentation, right reason, and right response.
Q: What is an adverse effect? ANSWER An unintended, harmful reaction
to a drug occurring at normal doses.
Q: What is a side effect? ANSWER A predictable, secondary, often mild
effect of a drug (e.g., drowsiness from antihistamines).
Q: What is an allergic reaction? ANSWER An immunologic response to a
drug, ranging from a rash to anaphylaxis.
Q: What is anaphylaxis? ANSWER A severe, life-threatening allergic
reaction characterized by bronchospasm, hypotension, and angioedema.
Q: What is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis? ANSWER Epinephrine
(IM).
Q: What is a contraindication? ANSWER A condition in which a drug
should NOT be given because it may cause harm.
Q: What is an absolute contraindication? ANSWER A condition that
completely prohibits the use of a drug (e.g., giving penicillin to a patient
with a penicillin allergy).
Q: What is a relative contraindication? ANSWER A condition where the
drug should be used with caution because the risks may outweigh the
benefits.
Q: What is drug tolerance? ANSWER A decreased response to a drug over
time, requiring a higher dose to achieve the same effect.
Q: What is drug dependence? ANSWER A physical or psychological need
for a drug to function normally.
Q: What is a placebo? ANSWER An inactive substance given to satisfy a
patient's expectation of receiving medication.
Q: What is a black box warning? ANSWER The strictest warning issued by
the FDA, alerting to serious or life-threatening risks.
Q: What is a teratogenic effect? ANSWER A drug-induced birth defect.
Q: What is Pregnancy Category X? ANSWER Drugs that are absolutely
contraindicated in pregnancy because risks to the fetus clearly outweigh
any potential benefit.
, Q: What is the nursing process step specifically used to evaluate drug
therapy? ANSWER Evaluation (assessing the patient's response to the
medication).
Q: Why do elderly patients often require lower drug doses? ANSWER Due
to decreased liver metabolism, decreased renal excretion, and lower total
body water.
Q: What is a drug interaction? ANSWER An alteration in the effect of a
drug caused by the presence of another drug, food, or substance.
Section 2: Autonomic Nervous System: Cholinergics & Anticholinergics
(31-60)
Q: What does the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) regulate?
ANSWER "Rest and digest" functions.
Q: What are the primary neurotransmitters of the PNS? ANSWER
Acetylcholine (ACh).
Q: What are cholinergic receptors? ANSWER Muscarinic and Nicotinic
receptors that respond to acetylcholine.
Q: What are the effects of cholinergic (parasympathetic) stimulation?
ANSWER Decreased heart rate, increased digestion, increased urination,
pupillary constriction, and bronchoconstriction.
Q: What is a direct-acting cholinergic agonist? ANSWER A drug that
mimics acetylcholine by binding directly to receptors (e.g., Bethanechol).
Q: What is Bethanechol used for? ANSWER To treat urinary retention and
neurogenic bladder after surgery.
Q: What is a critical nursing intervention before giving Bethanechol?
ANSWER Ensure the patient does not have a urinary tract obstruction
(can cause bladder rupture).
Q: What is an indirect-acting cholinergic drug? ANSWER An
anticholinesterase that blocks the enzyme that breaks down ACh, allowing
it to build up (e.g., Neostigmine, Pyridostigmine).
Q: What condition are anticholinesterases primarily used to treat?
ANSWER Myasthenia Gravis.
Q: What is the antidote for anticholinesterase overdose? ANSWER
Atropine.
