PHARMACOLOGY HESI QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
GRADED A+
1 - answer A healthcare provider prescribes an antibiotic intravenous piggyback twice a day for a client
with an infection. The healthcare provider prescribes peak and trough levels 48 and 72 hours after
initiation of the therapy. The client asks the nurse why there is a need for so many blood tests. What
reason does the nurse provide?
1 "They determine adequate dosage levels of the drug."
2 "They detect if you are having an allergic reaction to the drug."
3 "The tests permit blood culture specimens to be obtained when the drug is at its lowest level."
4 "These allow comparison of your fever to when the blood level of the antibiotic is at its highest."
1 - answer A mother complains that her child's teeth have become yellow in color. With prolonged use,
which medication may be responsible for the child's condition?
1 Tetracycline
2 Promethazine
3 Chloramphenicol
4 Fluoroquinolones
1 - Answer Loratadine, 10 mg by mouth once a day in the morning, is prescribed for a 15-year-old girl
with hay fever. The girl tells the school nurse that she is concerned that she will be sleepy for a quiz the
next day. How should the nurse respond?
1 By explaining that this medication rarely causes drowsiness
2 By advising her to take half a tablet in the morning before school
3 By suggesting that she skip the next day's dose if she can tolerate the hay fever
4 By recommending that she call the allergist for a prescription containing a stimulant
1 Each drug attacks the organism during different stages of cell multiplication.
2 The penicillin treats the syphilis, whereas the probenecid relieves the severe urethritis.
3 Probenecid delays excretion of penicillin, thus maintaining blood levels for longer periods.
,4 Probenecid decreases the potential for an allergic reaction to penicillin, which treats the syphilis
3 - Answer A client is started on tetracycline antibiotic therapy. What should the nurse do when
administering this drug?
1 Administer the medication with meals or a snack.
2 Provide orange or other citrus fruit juice with the medication.
3 Give the medication an hour before milk products are ingested.
4 Offer antacids 30 minutes after administration if gastrointestinal side effects occur
3 - Answer A client newly diagnosed with diabetes arrives at the emergency department complaining of
dizziness and weakness. The client's spouse reports that the client has been confused since this morning.
The spouse reports that the client administered the morning dose of 10 units of regular insulin and 25
units of NPH insulin with difficulty and did not eat much breakfast. What does the nurse identify as the
most likely cause of the client's signs and symptoms?
1 Hyperglycemia
2 Hyperlipidemia
3 Hypoglycemia
4 Hypocalcemia
3 - Answer A client receiving intravenous vancomycin reports ringing in both ears. Which initial action
should the nurse take?
1 Notify the primary healthcare provider.
2 Consult an audiologist.
3 Stop the infusion.
4 Document the finding and continue to monitor the client
3 - Answer A client with diabetes experiences tremors, pallor, and diaphoresis. What should the nurse
consider is a possible cause of these clinical manifestations?
1 Overeating
2 Intestinal virus
3 Aerobic exercise
, 4 Missed insulin dose
3 - Answer A client with gastric ulcer disease asks the nurse why the health care provider has prescribed
metronidazole. What purpose does the nurse provide?
1 To augment the immune response
2 To potentiate the effect of antacids
3 To treat Helicobacter pylori infection
4 To reduce hydrochloric acid secretion
3 - Answer A healthcare provider prescribes ampicillin for a client with an infection. What information
should the nurse include in the teaching plan about this medication?
1 Take the ampicillin with meals.
2 Store the ampicillin in a light-resistant container.
3 Notify the healthcare provider if diarrhea develops.
4 Continue the drug until a negative culture is obtained
3 - Answer A nurse identifies that an older adult has not achieved the desired outcome from a prescribed
proprietary medication. When assessing the situation, the client shares that the medication is too
expensive and that the prescription was never filled. What is an appropriate nursing response?
1 Ask the pharmacist to provide a generic form of the medication.
2 Encourage the client to acquire the medication over the Internet.
3 Inform the healthcare provider of the inability to afford the medication.
4 Suggest that the client purchase medical insurance that covers prescription medications
3 - answer nurse is administering a histamine H2 antagonist to a client who has extensive burns. The
nurse explains to the client that this drug is given prophylactically during the first few weeks after
extensive burns. What complication of burns will it prevent?
1 Colitis
2 Gastritis
3 Stress ulcer
4 Metabolic acidosis
GRADED A+
1 - answer A healthcare provider prescribes an antibiotic intravenous piggyback twice a day for a client
with an infection. The healthcare provider prescribes peak and trough levels 48 and 72 hours after
initiation of the therapy. The client asks the nurse why there is a need for so many blood tests. What
reason does the nurse provide?
1 "They determine adequate dosage levels of the drug."
2 "They detect if you are having an allergic reaction to the drug."
3 "The tests permit blood culture specimens to be obtained when the drug is at its lowest level."
4 "These allow comparison of your fever to when the blood level of the antibiotic is at its highest."
1 - answer A mother complains that her child's teeth have become yellow in color. With prolonged use,
which medication may be responsible for the child's condition?
1 Tetracycline
2 Promethazine
3 Chloramphenicol
4 Fluoroquinolones
1 - Answer Loratadine, 10 mg by mouth once a day in the morning, is prescribed for a 15-year-old girl
with hay fever. The girl tells the school nurse that she is concerned that she will be sleepy for a quiz the
next day. How should the nurse respond?
1 By explaining that this medication rarely causes drowsiness
2 By advising her to take half a tablet in the morning before school
3 By suggesting that she skip the next day's dose if she can tolerate the hay fever
4 By recommending that she call the allergist for a prescription containing a stimulant
1 Each drug attacks the organism during different stages of cell multiplication.
2 The penicillin treats the syphilis, whereas the probenecid relieves the severe urethritis.
3 Probenecid delays excretion of penicillin, thus maintaining blood levels for longer periods.
,4 Probenecid decreases the potential for an allergic reaction to penicillin, which treats the syphilis
3 - Answer A client is started on tetracycline antibiotic therapy. What should the nurse do when
administering this drug?
1 Administer the medication with meals or a snack.
2 Provide orange or other citrus fruit juice with the medication.
3 Give the medication an hour before milk products are ingested.
4 Offer antacids 30 minutes after administration if gastrointestinal side effects occur
3 - Answer A client newly diagnosed with diabetes arrives at the emergency department complaining of
dizziness and weakness. The client's spouse reports that the client has been confused since this morning.
The spouse reports that the client administered the morning dose of 10 units of regular insulin and 25
units of NPH insulin with difficulty and did not eat much breakfast. What does the nurse identify as the
most likely cause of the client's signs and symptoms?
1 Hyperglycemia
2 Hyperlipidemia
3 Hypoglycemia
4 Hypocalcemia
3 - Answer A client receiving intravenous vancomycin reports ringing in both ears. Which initial action
should the nurse take?
1 Notify the primary healthcare provider.
2 Consult an audiologist.
3 Stop the infusion.
4 Document the finding and continue to monitor the client
3 - Answer A client with diabetes experiences tremors, pallor, and diaphoresis. What should the nurse
consider is a possible cause of these clinical manifestations?
1 Overeating
2 Intestinal virus
3 Aerobic exercise
, 4 Missed insulin dose
3 - Answer A client with gastric ulcer disease asks the nurse why the health care provider has prescribed
metronidazole. What purpose does the nurse provide?
1 To augment the immune response
2 To potentiate the effect of antacids
3 To treat Helicobacter pylori infection
4 To reduce hydrochloric acid secretion
3 - Answer A healthcare provider prescribes ampicillin for a client with an infection. What information
should the nurse include in the teaching plan about this medication?
1 Take the ampicillin with meals.
2 Store the ampicillin in a light-resistant container.
3 Notify the healthcare provider if diarrhea develops.
4 Continue the drug until a negative culture is obtained
3 - Answer A nurse identifies that an older adult has not achieved the desired outcome from a prescribed
proprietary medication. When assessing the situation, the client shares that the medication is too
expensive and that the prescription was never filled. What is an appropriate nursing response?
1 Ask the pharmacist to provide a generic form of the medication.
2 Encourage the client to acquire the medication over the Internet.
3 Inform the healthcare provider of the inability to afford the medication.
4 Suggest that the client purchase medical insurance that covers prescription medications
3 - answer nurse is administering a histamine H2 antagonist to a client who has extensive burns. The
nurse explains to the client that this drug is given prophylactically during the first few weeks after
extensive burns. What complication of burns will it prevent?
1 Colitis
2 Gastritis
3 Stress ulcer
4 Metabolic acidosis
