NUR 112 Drug Classification Exam Practice Questions
SECTION 1: PHARMACOLOGY FOUNDATIONS
Drug Nomenclature & Classification
1. Drugs have three names. Which of the following is the official, FDA-approved
name of a drug?
A) Chemical name
B) Generic name
C) Brand name
D) Trade name
Answer: B
Rationale: The generic name is the official, FDA-approved name of a drug, and there is
only ONE generic name per drug . The chemical name describes the chemical structure,
and the brand/trade name is the manufacturer's name, with multiple possible names .
2. A patient asks the nurse about the difference between the generic and brand
name of a medication. What is the nurse's best response?
A) "Generic names are chemically different from brand names."
B) "The generic name is the official name assigned by the FDA; brand names are
assigned by the manufacturer."
C) "Brand names are more effective than generic drugs."
D) "Generic and brand names are the same thing."
Answer: B
Rationale: The generic name is the official, FDA-approved name. Brand/trade names are
given by companies that mass-market the drug and there can be many brand names for
,the same drug . Generic drugs contain the same active ingredients as brand-name
drugs.
3. Which of the following is an example of a medication's generic name?
A) Tylenol
B) Acetaminophen
C) Motrin
D) Zoloft
Answer: B
Rationale: Acetaminophen is the generic name for the drug. Tylenol is the brand/trade
name for acetaminophen. Motrin is the brand name for ibuprofen, and Zoloft is the
brand name for sertraline .
4. Drug classification indicates:
A) The chemical formula of the drug
B) The cost of the medication
C) The effect of the medication on a body system, the symptoms the medication
relieves, or its desired effect
D) The manufacturer of the drug
Answer: C
Rationale: Medication classification indicates the effect of the medication on a body
system, the symptoms the medication relieves, or its desired effect . Drugs are grouped
based on their therapeutic action and mechanism of action.
5. Drugs in the same pharmacologic class share similar attributes. Which of the
following is a shared attribute?
,A) Same chemical structure
B) Same cost
C) Same mechanism of action
D) Same half-life
Answer: C
Rationale: Drugs in the same pharmacologic class share attributes including indications,
mechanism of action, contraindications, interactions, and adverse reactions . Differences
include dosage, time-action profile, and availability .
6. How are drugs in the same pharmacologic class different?
A) Dosage and time-action profile
B) They have different mechanisms of action
C) They are chemically similar
D) They have different indications
Answer: A
Rationale: Drugs in the same pharmacologic class share many attributes but differ in
dosage, time-action profile, and availability . They have the same mechanism of action
and indications.
SECTION 2: PHARMACOKINETICS (ADME)
7. Pharmacokinetics is defined as:
A) What the drug does to the body
B) What the body does to the drug
C) The study of drug toxicity
D) The study of drug interactions
Answer: B
, Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is "what the body does to the drug" and includes the four
processes of ADME: Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion .
Pharmacodynamics is "what the drug does to the body" .
8. ADME stands for:
A) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
B) Administration, Distribution, Metabolism, Elimination
C) Absorption, Digestion, Metabolism, Excretion
D) Administration, Digestion, Metabolism, Elimination
Answer: A
Rationale: ADME represents the four stages of pharmacokinetics: Absorption (how drug
enters bloodstream), Distribution (transport within body), Metabolism (breakdown), and
Excretion (removal from body) .
9. The ability of a drug to move into the body's tissues is referred to as:
A) Absorption
B) Distribution
C) Metabolism
D) Excretion
Answer: B
Rationale: Distribution is the transport of drug molecules within the body, which
depends on adequate circulation to deliver the drug to target tissues .
10. Which organ is the most important site for drug metabolism?
A) Kidney
B) Liver
SECTION 1: PHARMACOLOGY FOUNDATIONS
Drug Nomenclature & Classification
1. Drugs have three names. Which of the following is the official, FDA-approved
name of a drug?
A) Chemical name
B) Generic name
C) Brand name
D) Trade name
Answer: B
Rationale: The generic name is the official, FDA-approved name of a drug, and there is
only ONE generic name per drug . The chemical name describes the chemical structure,
and the brand/trade name is the manufacturer's name, with multiple possible names .
2. A patient asks the nurse about the difference between the generic and brand
name of a medication. What is the nurse's best response?
A) "Generic names are chemically different from brand names."
B) "The generic name is the official name assigned by the FDA; brand names are
assigned by the manufacturer."
C) "Brand names are more effective than generic drugs."
D) "Generic and brand names are the same thing."
Answer: B
Rationale: The generic name is the official, FDA-approved name. Brand/trade names are
given by companies that mass-market the drug and there can be many brand names for
,the same drug . Generic drugs contain the same active ingredients as brand-name
drugs.
3. Which of the following is an example of a medication's generic name?
A) Tylenol
B) Acetaminophen
C) Motrin
D) Zoloft
Answer: B
Rationale: Acetaminophen is the generic name for the drug. Tylenol is the brand/trade
name for acetaminophen. Motrin is the brand name for ibuprofen, and Zoloft is the
brand name for sertraline .
4. Drug classification indicates:
A) The chemical formula of the drug
B) The cost of the medication
C) The effect of the medication on a body system, the symptoms the medication
relieves, or its desired effect
D) The manufacturer of the drug
Answer: C
Rationale: Medication classification indicates the effect of the medication on a body
system, the symptoms the medication relieves, or its desired effect . Drugs are grouped
based on their therapeutic action and mechanism of action.
5. Drugs in the same pharmacologic class share similar attributes. Which of the
following is a shared attribute?
,A) Same chemical structure
B) Same cost
C) Same mechanism of action
D) Same half-life
Answer: C
Rationale: Drugs in the same pharmacologic class share attributes including indications,
mechanism of action, contraindications, interactions, and adverse reactions . Differences
include dosage, time-action profile, and availability .
6. How are drugs in the same pharmacologic class different?
A) Dosage and time-action profile
B) They have different mechanisms of action
C) They are chemically similar
D) They have different indications
Answer: A
Rationale: Drugs in the same pharmacologic class share many attributes but differ in
dosage, time-action profile, and availability . They have the same mechanism of action
and indications.
SECTION 2: PHARMACOKINETICS (ADME)
7. Pharmacokinetics is defined as:
A) What the drug does to the body
B) What the body does to the drug
C) The study of drug toxicity
D) The study of drug interactions
Answer: B
, Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is "what the body does to the drug" and includes the four
processes of ADME: Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion .
Pharmacodynamics is "what the drug does to the body" .
8. ADME stands for:
A) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
B) Administration, Distribution, Metabolism, Elimination
C) Absorption, Digestion, Metabolism, Excretion
D) Administration, Digestion, Metabolism, Elimination
Answer: A
Rationale: ADME represents the four stages of pharmacokinetics: Absorption (how drug
enters bloodstream), Distribution (transport within body), Metabolism (breakdown), and
Excretion (removal from body) .
9. The ability of a drug to move into the body's tissues is referred to as:
A) Absorption
B) Distribution
C) Metabolism
D) Excretion
Answer: B
Rationale: Distribution is the transport of drug molecules within the body, which
depends on adequate circulation to deliver the drug to target tissues .
10. Which organ is the most important site for drug metabolism?
A) Kidney
B) Liver
