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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO | SCHOOL OF NURSING
U141 | Pharmacology
U141 — Pharmacology Final Exam
Pharmacology
INSTITUTION University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) | School of Nursing
PROGRAM Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN)
EXAM TITLE U141 Final Exam 2026/2027 | Pharmacology | Verified Questions
COURSE TITLE Pharmacology
COURSE CODE U141
ACADEMIC YEAR 2026/2027
TOTAL QUESTIONS 150 Questions
Core Domains: Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics • Drug Calculations & Safe Medication Administration • Cardiovascular Pharmacology • Endocrine Pharmacology • Respiratory & Gastrointestinal
Pharmacology • Pain Management & Analgesics • Anti-Infective Pharmacology • Psychotropic & Neurological Pharmacology • Pediatric & Geriatric Pharmacology • Professional, Legal & Ethical Considerations
Current Nursing Professional Focus
Multiple-Choice • Calculation Problems • Applied Pharmacology Format
2026/2027 Edition — Aligned with the UCSF U141 Pharmacology curriculum, NCLEX-RN Pharmacology Standards, and evidence-based nursing
pharmacotherapeutics
CONTENTS
Domain Content Area Questions
Domain 1 Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics 20
Domain 2 Drug Calculations & Safe Medication Administration 15
Domain 3 Cardiovascular Pharmacology 15
Domain 4 Endocrine Pharmacology 15
Domain 5 Respiratory & Gastrointestinal Pharmacology 15
Domain 6 Pain Management & Analgesics 15
Domain 7 Anti-Infective Pharmacology 15
Domain 8 Psychotropic & Neurological Pharmacology 15
Domain 9 Pediatric & Geriatric Pharmacology 15
Domain 10 Professional, Legal & Ethical Considerations 10
TOTAL All Domains 150
© BestSellerStuvia
Academic Year 2026/2027
U141 | 2026/2027
ACTUAL QUESTIONS
Domain 1: Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics
Question 1. What does pharmacokinetics describe?
A. What the drug does to the body
B. What the body does to the drug (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion)
© BestSellerStuvia | | U141 | Academic Year 2026/2027
, © BestSellerStuvia |
C. Only receptor binding
D. Only adverse effects
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is the study of ADME processes that determine drug concentration over time.
Question 2. What does pharmacodynamics describe?
A. Only drug excretion
B. What the drug does to the body, including receptor interactions and therapeutic effects
C. Only absorption
D. Only half-life
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics concerns the biochemical and physiologic effects of drugs and their mechanisms of action.
Question 3. Which route of administration completely bypasses absorption?
A. Oral
B. Intravenous
C. Intramuscular
D. Subcutaneous
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: IV administration places the drug directly into the bloodstream, eliminating the absorption step.
Question 4. Which organ is the primary site of drug metabolism for most drugs?
A. Kidney
B. Liver
C. Lung
D. Spleen
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The liver is the principal organ of drug metabolism via cytochrome P450 and other enzymes.
Question 5. Which organ is primarily responsible for excretion of most drugs and their metabolites?
A. Liver
B. Kidneys
C. Skin
D. Intestine only
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Renal excretion is the major route for elimination of many drugs and metabolites.
Question 6. What is the first-pass effect?
A. Rapid renal clearance
B. Metabolism of an orally administered drug by the liver before it reaches systemic circulation
C. Enhanced absorption in the stomach
D. Protein binding in plasma
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Oral drugs absorbed from the GI tract pass through the portal circulation and may be extensively metabolized before
systemic distribution.
Question 7. What is drug half-life?
A. Time to peak effect
B. Time required for the plasma concentration to decrease by 50%
C. Duration of receptor occupancy
D. Time to steady state only
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Half-life is the time for plasma concentration to fall by one-half and influences dosing interval.
Question 8. When is a trough level typically drawn?
A. At the peak of action
B. Immediately before the next scheduled dose
C. Two hours after the dose
D. At any random time
© BestSellerStuvia | | U141 | Academic Year 2026/2027
, © BestSellerStuvia |
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Trough levels are drawn just before the next dose to assess the lowest concentration.
Question 9. What does a narrow therapeutic index indicate?
A. Wide margin of safety
B. Small difference between therapeutic and toxic concentrations, requiring careful monitoring
C. No need for monitoring
D. Only applies to over-the-counter drugs
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Drugs with a narrow therapeutic index require close monitoring of levels and clinical response.
Question 10. What is bioavailability?
A. Only the dose administered
B. The fraction of an administered dose that reaches systemic circulation in active form
C. The rate of excretion
D. The volume of distribution only
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Bioavailability reflects the extent of absorption and first-pass metabolism.
Question 11. How does protein binding affect drug distribution?
A. Only unbound (free) drug is pharmacologically active and able to distribute to tissues
B. Bound drug is more active
C. Protein binding has no effect
D. All drug is always free
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Only the free fraction can cross membranes and interact with receptors.
Question 12. What is steady state?
A. The first dose only
B. The point at which the rate of drug administration equals the rate of elimination, producing stable plasma levels
C. Complete clearance of the drug
D. Only after one half-life
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Steady state is typically reached after approximately four to five half-lives with regular dosing.
Question 13. Which factor most increases the risk of drug accumulation?
A. Short half-life and rapid clearance
B. Impaired hepatic or renal function reducing clearance
C. High first-pass effect only
D. Low protein binding only
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Reduced clearance prolongs half-life and can lead to accumulation and toxicity.
Question 14. What is an agonist?
A. A drug that blocks a receptor
B. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a response
C. A drug with no receptor interaction
D. Only an antagonist
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Agonists activate receptors to produce a pharmacologic effect.
Question 15. What is an antagonist?
A. A drug that activates receptors
B. A drug that binds to a receptor and blocks the action of an agonist
C. A prodrug only
D. A drug with no affinity
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Antagonists occupy receptors without activating them, preventing agonist effects.
© BestSellerStuvia | | U141 | Academic Year 2026/2027
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO | SCHOOL OF NURSING
U141 | Pharmacology
U141 — Pharmacology Final Exam
Pharmacology
INSTITUTION University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) | School of Nursing
PROGRAM Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN)
EXAM TITLE U141 Final Exam 2026/2027 | Pharmacology | Verified Questions
COURSE TITLE Pharmacology
COURSE CODE U141
ACADEMIC YEAR 2026/2027
TOTAL QUESTIONS 150 Questions
Core Domains: Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics • Drug Calculations & Safe Medication Administration • Cardiovascular Pharmacology • Endocrine Pharmacology • Respiratory & Gastrointestinal
Pharmacology • Pain Management & Analgesics • Anti-Infective Pharmacology • Psychotropic & Neurological Pharmacology • Pediatric & Geriatric Pharmacology • Professional, Legal & Ethical Considerations
Current Nursing Professional Focus
Multiple-Choice • Calculation Problems • Applied Pharmacology Format
2026/2027 Edition — Aligned with the UCSF U141 Pharmacology curriculum, NCLEX-RN Pharmacology Standards, and evidence-based nursing
pharmacotherapeutics
CONTENTS
Domain Content Area Questions
Domain 1 Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics 20
Domain 2 Drug Calculations & Safe Medication Administration 15
Domain 3 Cardiovascular Pharmacology 15
Domain 4 Endocrine Pharmacology 15
Domain 5 Respiratory & Gastrointestinal Pharmacology 15
Domain 6 Pain Management & Analgesics 15
Domain 7 Anti-Infective Pharmacology 15
Domain 8 Psychotropic & Neurological Pharmacology 15
Domain 9 Pediatric & Geriatric Pharmacology 15
Domain 10 Professional, Legal & Ethical Considerations 10
TOTAL All Domains 150
© BestSellerStuvia
Academic Year 2026/2027
U141 | 2026/2027
ACTUAL QUESTIONS
Domain 1: Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics
Question 1. What does pharmacokinetics describe?
A. What the drug does to the body
B. What the body does to the drug (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion)
© BestSellerStuvia | | U141 | Academic Year 2026/2027
, © BestSellerStuvia |
C. Only receptor binding
D. Only adverse effects
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is the study of ADME processes that determine drug concentration over time.
Question 2. What does pharmacodynamics describe?
A. Only drug excretion
B. What the drug does to the body, including receptor interactions and therapeutic effects
C. Only absorption
D. Only half-life
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics concerns the biochemical and physiologic effects of drugs and their mechanisms of action.
Question 3. Which route of administration completely bypasses absorption?
A. Oral
B. Intravenous
C. Intramuscular
D. Subcutaneous
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: IV administration places the drug directly into the bloodstream, eliminating the absorption step.
Question 4. Which organ is the primary site of drug metabolism for most drugs?
A. Kidney
B. Liver
C. Lung
D. Spleen
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The liver is the principal organ of drug metabolism via cytochrome P450 and other enzymes.
Question 5. Which organ is primarily responsible for excretion of most drugs and their metabolites?
A. Liver
B. Kidneys
C. Skin
D. Intestine only
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Renal excretion is the major route for elimination of many drugs and metabolites.
Question 6. What is the first-pass effect?
A. Rapid renal clearance
B. Metabolism of an orally administered drug by the liver before it reaches systemic circulation
C. Enhanced absorption in the stomach
D. Protein binding in plasma
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Oral drugs absorbed from the GI tract pass through the portal circulation and may be extensively metabolized before
systemic distribution.
Question 7. What is drug half-life?
A. Time to peak effect
B. Time required for the plasma concentration to decrease by 50%
C. Duration of receptor occupancy
D. Time to steady state only
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Half-life is the time for plasma concentration to fall by one-half and influences dosing interval.
Question 8. When is a trough level typically drawn?
A. At the peak of action
B. Immediately before the next scheduled dose
C. Two hours after the dose
D. At any random time
© BestSellerStuvia | | U141 | Academic Year 2026/2027
, © BestSellerStuvia |
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Trough levels are drawn just before the next dose to assess the lowest concentration.
Question 9. What does a narrow therapeutic index indicate?
A. Wide margin of safety
B. Small difference between therapeutic and toxic concentrations, requiring careful monitoring
C. No need for monitoring
D. Only applies to over-the-counter drugs
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Drugs with a narrow therapeutic index require close monitoring of levels and clinical response.
Question 10. What is bioavailability?
A. Only the dose administered
B. The fraction of an administered dose that reaches systemic circulation in active form
C. The rate of excretion
D. The volume of distribution only
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Bioavailability reflects the extent of absorption and first-pass metabolism.
Question 11. How does protein binding affect drug distribution?
A. Only unbound (free) drug is pharmacologically active and able to distribute to tissues
B. Bound drug is more active
C. Protein binding has no effect
D. All drug is always free
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Only the free fraction can cross membranes and interact with receptors.
Question 12. What is steady state?
A. The first dose only
B. The point at which the rate of drug administration equals the rate of elimination, producing stable plasma levels
C. Complete clearance of the drug
D. Only after one half-life
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Steady state is typically reached after approximately four to five half-lives with regular dosing.
Question 13. Which factor most increases the risk of drug accumulation?
A. Short half-life and rapid clearance
B. Impaired hepatic or renal function reducing clearance
C. High first-pass effect only
D. Low protein binding only
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Reduced clearance prolongs half-life and can lead to accumulation and toxicity.
Question 14. What is an agonist?
A. A drug that blocks a receptor
B. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a response
C. A drug with no receptor interaction
D. Only an antagonist
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Agonists activate receptors to produce a pharmacologic effect.
Question 15. What is an antagonist?
A. A drug that activates receptors
B. A drug that binds to a receptor and blocks the action of an agonist
C. A prodrug only
D. A drug with no affinity
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Antagonists occupy receptors without activating them, preventing agonist effects.
© BestSellerStuvia | | U141 | Academic Year 2026/2027
