NUR 210 Exam 1 | Principles of Pharmacology (2026) Q&A |
Galen College
1. Which term best describes what the body does to a drug, including the processes of
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion?
A) Pharmacodynamics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacokinetics
D) Toxicology
Correct Answer: Pharmacokinetics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug movement through the body, encompassing
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). Pharmacodynamics is what the
drug does to the body. Pharmacotherapeutics is the use of drugs to treat disease, and
toxicology is the study of poisons.
2. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a biological response is classified as which of
the following?
A) Antagonist
B) Agonist
C) Partial agonist
D) Competitive antagonist
Correct Answer: Agonist
Rationale: An agonist activates a receptor and produces a biological response. An antagonist
blocks the receptor and produces no response. A partial agonist produces a weaker response
than a full agonist, and a competitive antagonist competes with an agonist for receptor binding.
,3. The nurse understands that the pharmaceutic phase of drug action involves which process?
A) Absorption of the drug into the bloodstream
B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
C) Distribution of the drug to target tissues
D) Excretion of the drug via the kidneys
Correct Answer: Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
Rationale: The pharmaceutic phase is the first phase, where the solid drug dissolves into a liquid
so it can be absorbed. Most oral absorption occurs in the small intestine. Absorption,
distribution, and excretion are part of pharmacokinetics but occur after the pharmaceutic
phase.
4. A patient asks the nurse, "What does 'first-pass effect' mean?" Which response is most
accurate?
A) "The drug is absorbed faster when taken on an empty stomach."
B) "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing its
bioavailability."
C) "The drug is excreted unchanged by the kidneys."
D) "The drug binds to plasma proteins and becomes inactive."
Correct Answer: "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation,
reducing its bioavailability."
Rationale: The first-pass effect refers to the metabolism of an oral drug by the liver before it
reaches systemic circulation, which reduces the amount of active drug available. This only
occurs with oral medications.
,5. A medication administered by which route has 100% bioavailability?
A) Oral
B) Sublingual
C) Intravenous
D) Intramuscular
Correct Answer: Intravenous
Rationale: Intravenous administration places the drug directly into the bloodstream, bypassing
absorption and first-pass metabolism, resulting in 100% bioavailability. Oral, sublingual, and
intramuscular routes all have lower bioavailability due to absorption barriers and metabolism.
6. Which phase of the nursing process involves collecting subjective and objective data about
the patient?
A) Planning
B) Implementation
C) Assessment
D) Evaluation
Correct Answer: Assessment
Rationale: Assessment is the first phase of the nursing process (ADPIE) and involves the
systematic collection of subjective and objective data about the patient's health status. Planning
involves setting goals, implementation involves carrying out interventions, and evaluation
involves determining if goals were met.
7. The nurse is administering an oral medication that undergoes significant first-pass
metabolism. Which statement best describes the clinical significance of this effect?
, A) The medication will have increased bioavailability
B) The medication will require a higher dose to achieve a therapeutic effect
C) The medication will be absorbed more rapidly
D) The medication will be excreted more slowly
Correct Answer: The medication will require a higher dose to achieve a therapeutic effect
Rationale: First-pass metabolism reduces the amount of active drug that reaches systemic
circulation, so a higher oral dose may be needed to achieve the same therapeutic effect as an
intravenous dose. This is clinically significant for drugs with high first-pass metabolism.
8. Which term describes the movement of a drug from the circulation to body tissues?
A) Absorption
B) Distribution
C) Metabolism
D) Excretion
Correct Answer: Distribution
Rationale: Distribution refers to the movement of the drug from the circulation to body tissues.
Absorption is movement from the administration site into the bloodstream, metabolism is the
chemical alteration of the drug, and excretion is the removal of the drug from the body.
9. A patient is prescribed a highly protein-bound medication. The nurse should monitor for
which potential complication?
A) Increased drug excretion
B) Drug toxicity due to displacement
C) Decreased drug absorption
Galen College
1. Which term best describes what the body does to a drug, including the processes of
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion?
A) Pharmacodynamics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacokinetics
D) Toxicology
Correct Answer: Pharmacokinetics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug movement through the body, encompassing
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). Pharmacodynamics is what the
drug does to the body. Pharmacotherapeutics is the use of drugs to treat disease, and
toxicology is the study of poisons.
2. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a biological response is classified as which of
the following?
A) Antagonist
B) Agonist
C) Partial agonist
D) Competitive antagonist
Correct Answer: Agonist
Rationale: An agonist activates a receptor and produces a biological response. An antagonist
blocks the receptor and produces no response. A partial agonist produces a weaker response
than a full agonist, and a competitive antagonist competes with an agonist for receptor binding.
,3. The nurse understands that the pharmaceutic phase of drug action involves which process?
A) Absorption of the drug into the bloodstream
B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
C) Distribution of the drug to target tissues
D) Excretion of the drug via the kidneys
Correct Answer: Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
Rationale: The pharmaceutic phase is the first phase, where the solid drug dissolves into a liquid
so it can be absorbed. Most oral absorption occurs in the small intestine. Absorption,
distribution, and excretion are part of pharmacokinetics but occur after the pharmaceutic
phase.
4. A patient asks the nurse, "What does 'first-pass effect' mean?" Which response is most
accurate?
A) "The drug is absorbed faster when taken on an empty stomach."
B) "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing its
bioavailability."
C) "The drug is excreted unchanged by the kidneys."
D) "The drug binds to plasma proteins and becomes inactive."
Correct Answer: "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation,
reducing its bioavailability."
Rationale: The first-pass effect refers to the metabolism of an oral drug by the liver before it
reaches systemic circulation, which reduces the amount of active drug available. This only
occurs with oral medications.
,5. A medication administered by which route has 100% bioavailability?
A) Oral
B) Sublingual
C) Intravenous
D) Intramuscular
Correct Answer: Intravenous
Rationale: Intravenous administration places the drug directly into the bloodstream, bypassing
absorption and first-pass metabolism, resulting in 100% bioavailability. Oral, sublingual, and
intramuscular routes all have lower bioavailability due to absorption barriers and metabolism.
6. Which phase of the nursing process involves collecting subjective and objective data about
the patient?
A) Planning
B) Implementation
C) Assessment
D) Evaluation
Correct Answer: Assessment
Rationale: Assessment is the first phase of the nursing process (ADPIE) and involves the
systematic collection of subjective and objective data about the patient's health status. Planning
involves setting goals, implementation involves carrying out interventions, and evaluation
involves determining if goals were met.
7. The nurse is administering an oral medication that undergoes significant first-pass
metabolism. Which statement best describes the clinical significance of this effect?
, A) The medication will have increased bioavailability
B) The medication will require a higher dose to achieve a therapeutic effect
C) The medication will be absorbed more rapidly
D) The medication will be excreted more slowly
Correct Answer: The medication will require a higher dose to achieve a therapeutic effect
Rationale: First-pass metabolism reduces the amount of active drug that reaches systemic
circulation, so a higher oral dose may be needed to achieve the same therapeutic effect as an
intravenous dose. This is clinically significant for drugs with high first-pass metabolism.
8. Which term describes the movement of a drug from the circulation to body tissues?
A) Absorption
B) Distribution
C) Metabolism
D) Excretion
Correct Answer: Distribution
Rationale: Distribution refers to the movement of the drug from the circulation to body tissues.
Absorption is movement from the administration site into the bloodstream, metabolism is the
chemical alteration of the drug, and excretion is the removal of the drug from the body.
9. A patient is prescribed a highly protein-bound medication. The nurse should monitor for
which potential complication?
A) Increased drug excretion
B) Drug toxicity due to displacement
C) Decreased drug absorption
