TEST BANK FOR PHARMACOLOGY
CLEAR AND SIMPLE: A GUIDE TO
DRUG CLASSIFICATIONS AND
DOSAGE CALCULATIONS, 4TH
EDITION BY CYNTHIA. WATKINS
LATEST UPDATED CHAPTERS 1 – 21
Test Bank For Pharmacology Clear and Simple - Complete Questions with Answers and Rationales
Chapter 1. History of Pharmacology
1. A nurse working in radiology administers iodine to a patient who is having a computed tomography
(CT) scan. The nurse working on the oncology unit administers chemotherapy to patients who have
cancer. At the Public Health Department, a nurse administers a measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)
vaccine to a 14-month-old child as a routine immunization. Which branch of pharmacology best
describes the actions of all three nurses?
A) Pharmacoeconomics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacodynamics
D) Pharmacokinetics
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Pharmacology is the study of the biologic effects of chemicals. Nurses are involved with
clinical pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics, which is a branch of pharmacology that deals with the
uses of drugs to treat, prevent, and diagnose disease. The radiology nurse is administering a drug to help
diagnose a disease. The oncology nurse is administering a drug to help treat a disease.
Pharmacoeconomics includes any costs involved in drug therapy. Pharmacodynamics involves how a
drug affects the body and pharmacokinetics is how the body acts on the body.
2. A physician has ordered intramuscular (IM) injections of morphine, a narcotic, every 4 hours as
needed for pain in a motor vehicle accident victim. The nurse is aware this drug has a high abuse
potential. Under what category would morphine be classified?
,A) Schedule I
B) Schedule II
C) Schedule III
D) Schedule IV
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Morphine is a Schedule II controlled substance due to its high abuse potential and accepted
medical use with severe restrictions. Schedule I drugs have no accepted medical use. Schedule III and IV
drugs have lower abuse potential than Schedule II.
3. When involved in phase III drug evaluation studies, what responsibilities would the nurse have?
A) Working with animals who are given experimental drugs
B) Choosing appropriate patients to be involved in the drug study
C) Monitoring and observing patients closely for adverse effects
D) Conducting research to determine effectiveness of the drug
ANSWER: C
Rationale: Phase III studies involve use of a drug in a vast clinical population in which patients are asked
to record any symptoms they experience while taking the drugs. Nurses may be responsible for helping
collect and analyze the information to be shared with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but
would not conduct research independently because nurses do not prescribe medications. Use of animals
in drug testing is done in the preclinical trials. Select patients who are involved in phase II studies to
participate in studies where the participants have the disease the drug is intended to treat. These
patients are monitored closely for drug action and adverse effects. Phase I studies involve healthy
human volunteers who are usually paid for their participation. Nurses may observe for adverse effects
and toxicity.
4. What concept is considered when generic drugs are substituted for brand-name drugs?
A) Bioavailability
B) Critical concentration
C) Distribution
D) Half-life
ANSWER: A
Rationale: Bioavailability refers to the amount of drug that reaches the systemic circulation and is
available to produce a therapeutic effect. When substituting generic drugs for brand-name drugs,
bioavailability must be considered because generic drugs must demonstrate bioequivalence to the
,brand-name product. Critical concentration, distribution, and half-life are pharmacokinetic concepts but
are not the primary consideration for generic substitution.
5. A nurse is assessing the patient's home medication use. After listening to the patient list current
medications, the nurse asks what priority question?
A) Do you take any generic medications?
B) Are any of these medications orphan drugs?
C) Are these medications safe to take during pregnancy?
D) Do you take any over-the-counter medications?
ANSWER: D
Rationale: It is important for the nurse to specifically question use of over-the-counter medications
because patients may not consider them important. The patient is unlikely to know the meaning of
orphan drugs unless they too are health care providers. Safety during pregnancy, use of a generic
medication, or classification of orphan drugs are things the patient would be unable to answer but could
be found in reference books if the nurse wishes to research them.
6. After completing a course on pharmacology for nurses, what will the nurse know?
A) Everything necessary for safe and effective medication administration
B) Current pharmacologic therapy; the nurse will not require ongoing education for 5 years
C) General drug information; the nurse can consult a drug guide for specific drug information
D) The drug actions that are associated with each classification of medication
ANSWER: C
Rationale: A pharmacology course provides nurses with general drug information and principles. Nurses
will need to consult drug guides for specific drug information throughout their careers. Ongoing
education is required as new drugs are developed and new information becomes available. No single
course can teach everything necessary for all medication administration situations.
7. A nurse is instructing a pregnant patient concerning the potential risk to her fetus from a Pregnancy
Category B drug. What would the nurse inform the patient?
A) Adequate studies in pregnant women have demonstrated there is no risk to the fetus.
B) Animal studies have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus, but there have been no adequate studies in
pregnant women.
C) Animal studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus, but there are no adequate studies in
, pregnant women.
D) There is evidence of human fetal risk, but the potential benefits from use of the drug may be
acceptable despite potential risks.
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Category B indicates that animal studies have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus. However,
there have not been adequate studies in pregnant women to demonstrate risk to a fetus during the first
trimester of pregnancy and no evidence of risk in later trimesters. Category A indicates that adequate
studies in pregnant women have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus in the first trimester or in later
trimesters. Category C indicates that animal studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus, but no
adequate studies in humans. Category D reveals evidence of human fetal risk, but the potential benefits
from the use of the drugs in pregnant women may outweigh potential risks.
8. Discharge planning for patients leaving the hospital should include instructions on the use of over-
the-counter (OTC) drugs. Which comment by the patient would demonstrate a good understanding of
OTC drugs?
A) OTC drugs are safe and do not cause adverse effects if taken properly.
B) OTC drugs have been around for years and have not been tested by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).
C) OTC drugs are different from any drugs available by prescription and cost less.
D) OTC drugs could cause serious harm if not taken according to directions.
ANSWER: D
Rationale: It is important to follow package directions because OTCs are medications that can cause
serious harm if not taken properly. OTCs are drugs that have been determined to be safe when taken as
directed; however, all drugs can produce adverse effects even when taken properly. They may have
originally been prescription drugs that were tested by the FDA or they may have been grandfathered in
when the FDA laws changed. OTC education should always be included as a part of the hospital
discharge instructions.
9. What would be the best source of drug information for a nurse?
A) Drug Facts and Comparisons
B) A nurse's drug guide
C) A drug package insert
D) The Physicians Drug Reference (PDR)
ANSWER: B
CLEAR AND SIMPLE: A GUIDE TO
DRUG CLASSIFICATIONS AND
DOSAGE CALCULATIONS, 4TH
EDITION BY CYNTHIA. WATKINS
LATEST UPDATED CHAPTERS 1 – 21
Test Bank For Pharmacology Clear and Simple - Complete Questions with Answers and Rationales
Chapter 1. History of Pharmacology
1. A nurse working in radiology administers iodine to a patient who is having a computed tomography
(CT) scan. The nurse working on the oncology unit administers chemotherapy to patients who have
cancer. At the Public Health Department, a nurse administers a measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)
vaccine to a 14-month-old child as a routine immunization. Which branch of pharmacology best
describes the actions of all three nurses?
A) Pharmacoeconomics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacodynamics
D) Pharmacokinetics
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Pharmacology is the study of the biologic effects of chemicals. Nurses are involved with
clinical pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics, which is a branch of pharmacology that deals with the
uses of drugs to treat, prevent, and diagnose disease. The radiology nurse is administering a drug to help
diagnose a disease. The oncology nurse is administering a drug to help treat a disease.
Pharmacoeconomics includes any costs involved in drug therapy. Pharmacodynamics involves how a
drug affects the body and pharmacokinetics is how the body acts on the body.
2. A physician has ordered intramuscular (IM) injections of morphine, a narcotic, every 4 hours as
needed for pain in a motor vehicle accident victim. The nurse is aware this drug has a high abuse
potential. Under what category would morphine be classified?
,A) Schedule I
B) Schedule II
C) Schedule III
D) Schedule IV
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Morphine is a Schedule II controlled substance due to its high abuse potential and accepted
medical use with severe restrictions. Schedule I drugs have no accepted medical use. Schedule III and IV
drugs have lower abuse potential than Schedule II.
3. When involved in phase III drug evaluation studies, what responsibilities would the nurse have?
A) Working with animals who are given experimental drugs
B) Choosing appropriate patients to be involved in the drug study
C) Monitoring and observing patients closely for adverse effects
D) Conducting research to determine effectiveness of the drug
ANSWER: C
Rationale: Phase III studies involve use of a drug in a vast clinical population in which patients are asked
to record any symptoms they experience while taking the drugs. Nurses may be responsible for helping
collect and analyze the information to be shared with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but
would not conduct research independently because nurses do not prescribe medications. Use of animals
in drug testing is done in the preclinical trials. Select patients who are involved in phase II studies to
participate in studies where the participants have the disease the drug is intended to treat. These
patients are monitored closely for drug action and adverse effects. Phase I studies involve healthy
human volunteers who are usually paid for their participation. Nurses may observe for adverse effects
and toxicity.
4. What concept is considered when generic drugs are substituted for brand-name drugs?
A) Bioavailability
B) Critical concentration
C) Distribution
D) Half-life
ANSWER: A
Rationale: Bioavailability refers to the amount of drug that reaches the systemic circulation and is
available to produce a therapeutic effect. When substituting generic drugs for brand-name drugs,
bioavailability must be considered because generic drugs must demonstrate bioequivalence to the
,brand-name product. Critical concentration, distribution, and half-life are pharmacokinetic concepts but
are not the primary consideration for generic substitution.
5. A nurse is assessing the patient's home medication use. After listening to the patient list current
medications, the nurse asks what priority question?
A) Do you take any generic medications?
B) Are any of these medications orphan drugs?
C) Are these medications safe to take during pregnancy?
D) Do you take any over-the-counter medications?
ANSWER: D
Rationale: It is important for the nurse to specifically question use of over-the-counter medications
because patients may not consider them important. The patient is unlikely to know the meaning of
orphan drugs unless they too are health care providers. Safety during pregnancy, use of a generic
medication, or classification of orphan drugs are things the patient would be unable to answer but could
be found in reference books if the nurse wishes to research them.
6. After completing a course on pharmacology for nurses, what will the nurse know?
A) Everything necessary for safe and effective medication administration
B) Current pharmacologic therapy; the nurse will not require ongoing education for 5 years
C) General drug information; the nurse can consult a drug guide for specific drug information
D) The drug actions that are associated with each classification of medication
ANSWER: C
Rationale: A pharmacology course provides nurses with general drug information and principles. Nurses
will need to consult drug guides for specific drug information throughout their careers. Ongoing
education is required as new drugs are developed and new information becomes available. No single
course can teach everything necessary for all medication administration situations.
7. A nurse is instructing a pregnant patient concerning the potential risk to her fetus from a Pregnancy
Category B drug. What would the nurse inform the patient?
A) Adequate studies in pregnant women have demonstrated there is no risk to the fetus.
B) Animal studies have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus, but there have been no adequate studies in
pregnant women.
C) Animal studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus, but there are no adequate studies in
, pregnant women.
D) There is evidence of human fetal risk, but the potential benefits from use of the drug may be
acceptable despite potential risks.
ANSWER: B
Rationale: Category B indicates that animal studies have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus. However,
there have not been adequate studies in pregnant women to demonstrate risk to a fetus during the first
trimester of pregnancy and no evidence of risk in later trimesters. Category A indicates that adequate
studies in pregnant women have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus in the first trimester or in later
trimesters. Category C indicates that animal studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus, but no
adequate studies in humans. Category D reveals evidence of human fetal risk, but the potential benefits
from the use of the drugs in pregnant women may outweigh potential risks.
8. Discharge planning for patients leaving the hospital should include instructions on the use of over-
the-counter (OTC) drugs. Which comment by the patient would demonstrate a good understanding of
OTC drugs?
A) OTC drugs are safe and do not cause adverse effects if taken properly.
B) OTC drugs have been around for years and have not been tested by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).
C) OTC drugs are different from any drugs available by prescription and cost less.
D) OTC drugs could cause serious harm if not taken according to directions.
ANSWER: D
Rationale: It is important to follow package directions because OTCs are medications that can cause
serious harm if not taken properly. OTCs are drugs that have been determined to be safe when taken as
directed; however, all drugs can produce adverse effects even when taken properly. They may have
originally been prescription drugs that were tested by the FDA or they may have been grandfathered in
when the FDA laws changed. OTC education should always be included as a part of the hospital
discharge instructions.
9. What would be the best source of drug information for a nurse?
A) Drug Facts and Comparisons
B) A nurse's drug guide
C) A drug package insert
D) The Physicians Drug Reference (PDR)
ANSWER: B
