NUR 2407 PHARMACOLOGY EXAM 1, EXAM 2
& FINAL BUNDLE 2026/2027 | 450 PRACTICE
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS & RATIONALES |
RASMUSSEN UNIVERSITY NURSING PREP
|ALREADY GRADED A+ | INSTANT
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1. A nurse is explaining the pharmacokinetic process of
absorption to a nursing student. Which statement is correct?
A. Absorption is the movement of a drug from the bloodstream into
the tissues.
B. Absorption is the movement of a drug from the site of
administration into systemic circulation.
C. Absorption is the chemical breakdown of a drug by the liver.
D. Absorption is the removal of a drug from the body.
Answer: B. Absorption is the movement of a drug from the site of
administration into systemic circulation.
Rationale: Absorption describes how a medication moves from its
administration site into the bloodstream. Distribution occurs after
absorption, while metabolism primarily occurs in the liver and
excretion primarily occurs through the kidneys.
2. Which route of medication administration provides 100%
bioavailability?
A. Oral
B. Subcutaneous
C. Intramuscular
D. Intravenous
Answer: D. Intravenous.
,Rationale: IV medications enter systemic circulation directly,
producing essentially 100% bioavailability. Oral medications may
have reduced bioavailability because of incomplete absorption and
first-pass hepatic metabolism.
3. A patient asks why some oral medications require a higher dose
than the same medication given intravenously. What should the
nurse explain?
A. Oral medications are always less potent.
B. Oral medications may undergo first-pass metabolism.
C. Oral medications cannot be absorbed through the GI tract.
D. IV medications are always eliminated more slowly.
Answer: B. Oral medications may undergo first-pass metabolism.
Rationale: Drugs administered orally can be metabolized by the liver
before reaching systemic circulation. This first-pass effect can
decrease the amount of active drug reaching the circulation.
4. Which organ is primarily responsible for drug metabolism?
A. Heart
B. Liver
C. Pancreas
D. Spleen
Answer: B. Liver.
Rationale: The liver is the major site of drug metabolism. Hepatic
enzymes, including the cytochrome P450 system, metabolize many
medications and can alter their activity and elimination.
,5. A patient with severe renal impairment is prescribed a
medication that is primarily excreted by the kidneys. Which
action is most appropriate?
A. Administer the medication without modification.
B. Expect faster drug elimination.
C. Monitor for drug accumulation and toxicity.
D. Double the dose to compensate for renal impairment.
Answer: C. Monitor for drug accumulation and toxicity.
Rationale: Reduced renal function can decrease medication
clearance, causing accumulation and increasing the risk of adverse
effects and toxicity. Dosage or dosing intervals may need adjustment.
6. A nurse is reviewing pharmacodynamics with a student.
Pharmacodynamics primarily describes which concept?
A. What the body does to the drug
B. What the drug does to the body
C. How the kidneys eliminate the drug
D. How the GI tract absorbs the drug
Answer: B. What the drug does to the body.
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics concerns the effects of medications on
the body, including receptor interactions, therapeutic effects, adverse
effects, and dose-response relationships.
7. Which term describes the amount of time required for the
concentration of a medication in the body to decrease by 50%?
A. Peak level
B. Onset
C. Half-life
D. Duration
, Answer: C. Half-life.
Rationale: A drug's half-life is the time required for its plasma
concentration to decrease by 50%. Half-life helps determine dosing
intervals and the approximate time needed to reach steady-state
concentrations.
8. A medication has a half-life of 8 hours. Approximately how
long would it take to reach steady state with repeated dosing?
A. 8 hours
B. 16 hours
C. 24 hours
D. 32–40 hours
Answer: D. 32–40 hours.
Rationale: Most medications reach approximately 90–97% of steady
state after about four to five half-lives. For an 8-hour half-life, this is
approximately 32–40 hours.
9. Which medication-administration practice best helps prevent
medication errors?
A. Using the patient's room number as the primary identifier
B. Administering medications based only on memory
C. Verifying the medication against the prescription and patient
identifiers
D. Preparing medications for several patients simultaneously
Answer: C. Verifying the medication against the prescription and
patient identifiers.
Rationale: Medication safety requires careful verification of the
medication order, patient identity, dose, route, timing, allergies, and
other applicable medication-administration rights.
& FINAL BUNDLE 2026/2027 | 450 PRACTICE
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS & RATIONALES |
RASMUSSEN UNIVERSITY NURSING PREP
|ALREADY GRADED A+ | INSTANT
DOWNLOAD | NEWEST!!
1. A nurse is explaining the pharmacokinetic process of
absorption to a nursing student. Which statement is correct?
A. Absorption is the movement of a drug from the bloodstream into
the tissues.
B. Absorption is the movement of a drug from the site of
administration into systemic circulation.
C. Absorption is the chemical breakdown of a drug by the liver.
D. Absorption is the removal of a drug from the body.
Answer: B. Absorption is the movement of a drug from the site of
administration into systemic circulation.
Rationale: Absorption describes how a medication moves from its
administration site into the bloodstream. Distribution occurs after
absorption, while metabolism primarily occurs in the liver and
excretion primarily occurs through the kidneys.
2. Which route of medication administration provides 100%
bioavailability?
A. Oral
B. Subcutaneous
C. Intramuscular
D. Intravenous
Answer: D. Intravenous.
,Rationale: IV medications enter systemic circulation directly,
producing essentially 100% bioavailability. Oral medications may
have reduced bioavailability because of incomplete absorption and
first-pass hepatic metabolism.
3. A patient asks why some oral medications require a higher dose
than the same medication given intravenously. What should the
nurse explain?
A. Oral medications are always less potent.
B. Oral medications may undergo first-pass metabolism.
C. Oral medications cannot be absorbed through the GI tract.
D. IV medications are always eliminated more slowly.
Answer: B. Oral medications may undergo first-pass metabolism.
Rationale: Drugs administered orally can be metabolized by the liver
before reaching systemic circulation. This first-pass effect can
decrease the amount of active drug reaching the circulation.
4. Which organ is primarily responsible for drug metabolism?
A. Heart
B. Liver
C. Pancreas
D. Spleen
Answer: B. Liver.
Rationale: The liver is the major site of drug metabolism. Hepatic
enzymes, including the cytochrome P450 system, metabolize many
medications and can alter their activity and elimination.
,5. A patient with severe renal impairment is prescribed a
medication that is primarily excreted by the kidneys. Which
action is most appropriate?
A. Administer the medication without modification.
B. Expect faster drug elimination.
C. Monitor for drug accumulation and toxicity.
D. Double the dose to compensate for renal impairment.
Answer: C. Monitor for drug accumulation and toxicity.
Rationale: Reduced renal function can decrease medication
clearance, causing accumulation and increasing the risk of adverse
effects and toxicity. Dosage or dosing intervals may need adjustment.
6. A nurse is reviewing pharmacodynamics with a student.
Pharmacodynamics primarily describes which concept?
A. What the body does to the drug
B. What the drug does to the body
C. How the kidneys eliminate the drug
D. How the GI tract absorbs the drug
Answer: B. What the drug does to the body.
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics concerns the effects of medications on
the body, including receptor interactions, therapeutic effects, adverse
effects, and dose-response relationships.
7. Which term describes the amount of time required for the
concentration of a medication in the body to decrease by 50%?
A. Peak level
B. Onset
C. Half-life
D. Duration
, Answer: C. Half-life.
Rationale: A drug's half-life is the time required for its plasma
concentration to decrease by 50%. Half-life helps determine dosing
intervals and the approximate time needed to reach steady-state
concentrations.
8. A medication has a half-life of 8 hours. Approximately how
long would it take to reach steady state with repeated dosing?
A. 8 hours
B. 16 hours
C. 24 hours
D. 32–40 hours
Answer: D. 32–40 hours.
Rationale: Most medications reach approximately 90–97% of steady
state after about four to five half-lives. For an 8-hour half-life, this is
approximately 32–40 hours.
9. Which medication-administration practice best helps prevent
medication errors?
A. Using the patient's room number as the primary identifier
B. Administering medications based only on memory
C. Verifying the medication against the prescription and patient
identifiers
D. Preparing medications for several patients simultaneously
Answer: C. Verifying the medication against the prescription and
patient identifiers.
Rationale: Medication safety requires careful verification of the
medication order, patient identity, dose, route, timing, allergies, and
other applicable medication-administration rights.
