NSG 124 Exam 1 Actual Exam V2 | NSG 124 Pharmacology (NSG124
Exam 1) | Herzing University PDF
1. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication to a patient. Which action by the nurse
represents the final check for the ‘Right Patient’ according to safety standards?
A. Asking the patient’s roommate to confirm the identity.
B. Checking the patient’s room number against the medication record.
C. Asking the patient to state their full name and date of birth.
D. Checking the medication label against the physician’s order.
Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse must use at least two patient identifiers to ensure safe medication
administration. Room numbers are never considered valid identifiers because patients may
be moved. Verifying the name and date of birth directly with the patient or checking the
armband is the standard of care.
2. A drug has a half-life of 4 hours. If a patient receives a 200 mg dose, how much of the drug
will remain in the body after 12 hours?
A. 100 mg
B. 25 mg
C. 50 mg
D. 12.5 mg
Answer: B
Rationale: After 4 hours (one half-life), 100 mg remains. After 8 hours (two half-lives), 50
mg remains. After 12 hours (three half-lives), 25 mg remains in the patient’s system.
3. Which pharmacological process is significantly reduced when a drug is administered
intravenously rather than orally?
A. Distribution
B. Protein binding
C. Excretion
D. First-pass effect
Answer: D
,Rationale: Intravenous administration bypasses the gastrointestinal tract and the liver’s
initial metabolism. The first-pass effect occurs when oral drugs are metabolized by the liver
before reaching systemic circulation. Bypassing this step allows for 100% bioavailability of
the medication.
4. The physician orders 0.5 g of a medication. The pharmacy provides the medication in 250
mg tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 2 tablets
C. 1 tablet
D. 3 tablets
Answer: B
Rationale: First, the nurse must convert grams to milligrams: 0.5 g equals 500 mg. Next,
divide the ordered dose (500 mg) by the available dose (250 mg per tablet). This
calculation results in 2 tablets for administration.
5. A patient who was recently started on an antibiotic reports hives, itching, and difficulty
breathing. What is the priority nursing action?
A. Administer the next dose as scheduled.
B. Document the reaction in the medical record.
C. Offer the patient an over-the-counter antihistamine.
D. Stop the medication and notify the provider immediately.
Answer: D
Rationale: These symptoms indicate a potentially life-threatening anaphylactic reaction.
The nurse must prioritize patient safety by ceasing the offending agent immediately.
Prompt notification of the provider is necessary to initiate emergency interventions.
6. What is the primary site for drug metabolism in the human body?
A. Liver
B. Lungs
C. Kidneys
D. Small Intestine
Answer: A
Rationale: The liver is the primary organ responsible for the metabolic breakdown of
drugs. It utilizes the cytochrome P450 enzyme system to transform lipid-soluble drugs into
water-soluble metabolites. Proper liver function is essential to prevent drug toxicity.
, 7. A nurse is reviewing a patient’s labs and notes a serum creatinine of 3.2 mg/dL. Which
medication phase will be most affected by this finding?
A. Excretion
B. Distribution
C. Metabolism
D. Absorption
Answer: A
Rationale: Creatinine is a marker of kidney function, and the kidneys are the primary
organs for drug excretion. A high creatinine level suggests renal impairment, which could
lead to drug accumulation. The nurse should anticipate dosage adjustments for renal-
cleared medications.
8. A medication is classified as an ‘agonist.’ What does this term imply regarding its
mechanism of action?
A. It blocks a receptor and prevents a response.
B. It binds to a receptor and produces a biological response.
C. It neutralizes stomach acid directly.
D. It prevents the breakdown of neurotransmitters.
Answer: B
Rationale: An agonist is a drug that mimics the action of endogenous substances by
binding to a receptor. This binding triggers a specific physiological or pharmacological
effect. In contrast, an antagonist would block that same receptor.
9. When administering a sublingual medication, the nurse should instruct the patient to:
A. Swallow the tablet with a full glass of water.
B. Place the tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve.
C. Chew the tablet thoroughly before swallowing.
D. Dissolve the tablet in a small amount of juice.
Answer: B
Rationale: Sublingual medications are designed to be absorbed through the highly
vascular mucosa under the tongue. Swallowing the medication would subject it to the first-
pass effect, reducing its efficacy. The patient must be instructed not to eat or drink until the
medication is completely dissolved.
10. A nurse discovers that a medication error has occurred. What is the nurse’s first priority?
A. Complete an incident report.
Exam 1) | Herzing University PDF
1. A nurse is preparing to administer a medication to a patient. Which action by the nurse
represents the final check for the ‘Right Patient’ according to safety standards?
A. Asking the patient’s roommate to confirm the identity.
B. Checking the patient’s room number against the medication record.
C. Asking the patient to state their full name and date of birth.
D. Checking the medication label against the physician’s order.
Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse must use at least two patient identifiers to ensure safe medication
administration. Room numbers are never considered valid identifiers because patients may
be moved. Verifying the name and date of birth directly with the patient or checking the
armband is the standard of care.
2. A drug has a half-life of 4 hours. If a patient receives a 200 mg dose, how much of the drug
will remain in the body after 12 hours?
A. 100 mg
B. 25 mg
C. 50 mg
D. 12.5 mg
Answer: B
Rationale: After 4 hours (one half-life), 100 mg remains. After 8 hours (two half-lives), 50
mg remains. After 12 hours (three half-lives), 25 mg remains in the patient’s system.
3. Which pharmacological process is significantly reduced when a drug is administered
intravenously rather than orally?
A. Distribution
B. Protein binding
C. Excretion
D. First-pass effect
Answer: D
,Rationale: Intravenous administration bypasses the gastrointestinal tract and the liver’s
initial metabolism. The first-pass effect occurs when oral drugs are metabolized by the liver
before reaching systemic circulation. Bypassing this step allows for 100% bioavailability of
the medication.
4. The physician orders 0.5 g of a medication. The pharmacy provides the medication in 250
mg tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 2 tablets
C. 1 tablet
D. 3 tablets
Answer: B
Rationale: First, the nurse must convert grams to milligrams: 0.5 g equals 500 mg. Next,
divide the ordered dose (500 mg) by the available dose (250 mg per tablet). This
calculation results in 2 tablets for administration.
5. A patient who was recently started on an antibiotic reports hives, itching, and difficulty
breathing. What is the priority nursing action?
A. Administer the next dose as scheduled.
B. Document the reaction in the medical record.
C. Offer the patient an over-the-counter antihistamine.
D. Stop the medication and notify the provider immediately.
Answer: D
Rationale: These symptoms indicate a potentially life-threatening anaphylactic reaction.
The nurse must prioritize patient safety by ceasing the offending agent immediately.
Prompt notification of the provider is necessary to initiate emergency interventions.
6. What is the primary site for drug metabolism in the human body?
A. Liver
B. Lungs
C. Kidneys
D. Small Intestine
Answer: A
Rationale: The liver is the primary organ responsible for the metabolic breakdown of
drugs. It utilizes the cytochrome P450 enzyme system to transform lipid-soluble drugs into
water-soluble metabolites. Proper liver function is essential to prevent drug toxicity.
, 7. A nurse is reviewing a patient’s labs and notes a serum creatinine of 3.2 mg/dL. Which
medication phase will be most affected by this finding?
A. Excretion
B. Distribution
C. Metabolism
D. Absorption
Answer: A
Rationale: Creatinine is a marker of kidney function, and the kidneys are the primary
organs for drug excretion. A high creatinine level suggests renal impairment, which could
lead to drug accumulation. The nurse should anticipate dosage adjustments for renal-
cleared medications.
8. A medication is classified as an ‘agonist.’ What does this term imply regarding its
mechanism of action?
A. It blocks a receptor and prevents a response.
B. It binds to a receptor and produces a biological response.
C. It neutralizes stomach acid directly.
D. It prevents the breakdown of neurotransmitters.
Answer: B
Rationale: An agonist is a drug that mimics the action of endogenous substances by
binding to a receptor. This binding triggers a specific physiological or pharmacological
effect. In contrast, an antagonist would block that same receptor.
9. When administering a sublingual medication, the nurse should instruct the patient to:
A. Swallow the tablet with a full glass of water.
B. Place the tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve.
C. Chew the tablet thoroughly before swallowing.
D. Dissolve the tablet in a small amount of juice.
Answer: B
Rationale: Sublingual medications are designed to be absorbed through the highly
vascular mucosa under the tongue. Swallowing the medication would subject it to the first-
pass effect, reducing its efficacy. The patient must be instructed not to eat or drink until the
medication is completely dissolved.
10. A nurse discovers that a medication error has occurred. What is the nurse’s first priority?
A. Complete an incident report.
