Lehne's Pharmacology for
Nursing Care
11th Edition
UNIT I: INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER NO. 01: ORIENTATION TO PHARMACOLOGY
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION & ANSWERS
Q-1. The nurse is teaching a patient how a medication works to treat an illness. To
do this, the nurse will rely on knowledge of which topic?
a. Clinical pharmacology
b. Drug efficacy
c. Pharmacokinetics
d. Pharmacotherapeutics
ANS: D
Pharmacotherapeutics is the study of the use of drugs to diagnose, treat, and prevent condi-
tions. Clinical pharmacology is concerned with all aspects of drug-human interactions. Drug
efficacy measures the extent to which a given drug causes an intended effect. Pharmacoki-
netics is the study of the impact of the body on a drug.
PTS: 1
Q-2. What is a desired outcome when a drug is described as easy to administer?
a. It can be stored indefinitely without need for refrigeration.
b. It does not interact significantly with other medications.
c. It enhances patient adherence to the drug regimen.
d. It is usually relatively inexpensive to produce.
ANS: C
A major benefit of drugs that are easy to administer is that patients taking them are more
likely to comply with the drug regimen. Drugs that are easy to give may have the other at-
tributes listed, but those properties are independent of ease of administration.
PTS: 1
Q-3. A patient tells the nurse that an analgesic he will begin taking may cause
drowsiness and will decrease pain up to 4 hours at a time. Based on this understanding of
the drug’s effects by the patient, the nurse will anticipate which outcome?
a. Decreased chance of having a placebo effect
b. Decreased motivation to take the drug
,c. Improved compliance with the drug regimen
d. Increased likelihood of drug overdose
ANS: C
A drug is effective if it produces the intended effects, even if it also produces side effects.
Patients who understand both the risks and benefits of taking a medication are more likely
to comply with the drug regimen.
PTS: 1
MULTIPLE RESPONSE QUESTION & ANSWERS
Q-1. What are considered the ‘Big Three’ properties of an ideal drug? (Select all
that apply.)
a. Irreversible action
b. Effectiveness
c. Safety
d. Selectivity
e. A recognizable trade name
ANS: B, C, D
The ‘Big Three’ properties of the ideal drug are effectiveness, safety, and selectivity.
PTS: 1
Q-2. Before administering a medication, what does the nurse need to know to
evaluate how individual patient variability might affect the patient’s response to the medica-
tion? (Select all that apply.)
a. Chemical stability of the medication
b. Ease of administration
c. Family medical history
d. Patient’s age
e. Patient’s diagnosis
ANS: C, D, E
The family medical history can indicate genetic factors that may affect a patient’s response
to a medication. Patients of different ages can respond differently to medications. The pa-
tient’s illness can affect how drugs are metabolized. The chemical stability of the medication
and the ease of administration are properties of drugs.
PTS: 1
,CHAPTER NO. 02: APPLICATION OF PHARMACOLOGY IN NURSING PRACTICE
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q-1. A patient is using a metered-dose inhaler containing albuterol for
asthma. The medication label instructs the patient to administer “2 puffs every 4
hours as needed for coughing or wheezing.” The patient reports feeling jittery some-
times when taking the medication, and doesn’t feel that the medication is always ef-
fective. Which action is outside the nurse’s scope of practice?
a. Asking the patient to demonstrate the use of the inhaler
b. Assessing the patient’s exposure to tobacco smoke
c. Auscultating lung sounds and obtaining vital signs
d. Suggesting that the patient use 1 puff to reduce side effects
ANS: D
It is not within the nurse’s scope of practice to change the dose of a medication
without an order from a prescriber. Asking the patient to demonstrate inhaler use
helps the nurse to evaluate the patient’s ability to administer the medication proper-
ly and is part of the nurse’s evaluation. Assessing tobacco smoke exposure helps the
nurse determine whether nondrug therapies, such a smoke avoidance, can be used
as an adjunct to drug therapy. Performing a physical assessment helps the nurse
evaluate the patient’s response to the medication.
PTS: 1
Q-2. A postoperative patient is being discharged home with acetamino-
phen/hydrocodone [Norco] for pain. The patient asks the nurse about using Tylenol
for fever. Which statement by the nurse is correct?
a. “It is not safe to take over-the-counter drugs with prescription medica-
tions.”
b. “Taking the two medications together poses a risk of drug toxicity.”
c. “There are no known drug interactions, so this will be safe.”
d. “Tylenol and Norco are different drugs, so there is no risk of overdose.”
ANS: B
Tylenol is the trade name and acetaminophen is the generic name for the same med-
ication. It is important to teach patients to be aware of the different names for the
same drug to minimize the risk of overdose. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications and
prescription medications may be taken together unless significant harmful drug in-
, teractions are possible. Even though no drug interactions are at play in this case, both
drugs contain acetaminophen, which could lead to toxicity.
PTS: 1
Q-3. The nurse is preparing to care for a patient who will be taking an anti-
hypertensive medication. Which action by the nurse is part of the assessment step of
the nursing process?
a. Asking the prescriber for an order to monitor serum drug levels
b. Monitoring the patient for drug interactions after giving the medication
c. Questioning the patient about over-the-counter medications
d. Taking the patient’s blood pressure throughout the course of treatment
ANS: C
The assessment part of the nursing process involves gathering information before
beginning treatment, and this includes asking about other medications the patient
may be taking. Monitoring serum drug levels, watching for drug interactions, and
checking vital signs after giving the medication are all part of the evaluation phase.
PTS: 1
Q-4. A postoperative patient reports pain, which the patient rates as an 8
on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the most extreme pain). The prescriber has ordered
acetaminophen [Tylenol] 650 mg PO every 6 hours PRN pain. What will the nurse do?
a. Ask the patient what medications have helped with pain in the past.
b. Contact the provider to request a different analgesic medication.
c. Give the pain medication and reposition the patient to promote comfort.
d. Request an order to administer the medication every 4 hours.
ANS: B
The nursing diagnosis for this patient is severe pain. Acetaminophen is given for mild
to moderate pain, so the nurse should ask the prescriber to order a stronger analge-
sic medication. Asking the patient to tell the nurse what has helped in the past is part
of an initial assessment and should be done preoperatively and not when the patient
is having severe pain. Because the patient is having severe pain, acetaminophen
combined with nondrug therapies will not be sufficient. Increasing the frequency of
the dose of a medication for mild pain will not be effective.
PTS: 1
Nursing Care
11th Edition
UNIT I: INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER NO. 01: ORIENTATION TO PHARMACOLOGY
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION & ANSWERS
Q-1. The nurse is teaching a patient how a medication works to treat an illness. To
do this, the nurse will rely on knowledge of which topic?
a. Clinical pharmacology
b. Drug efficacy
c. Pharmacokinetics
d. Pharmacotherapeutics
ANS: D
Pharmacotherapeutics is the study of the use of drugs to diagnose, treat, and prevent condi-
tions. Clinical pharmacology is concerned with all aspects of drug-human interactions. Drug
efficacy measures the extent to which a given drug causes an intended effect. Pharmacoki-
netics is the study of the impact of the body on a drug.
PTS: 1
Q-2. What is a desired outcome when a drug is described as easy to administer?
a. It can be stored indefinitely without need for refrigeration.
b. It does not interact significantly with other medications.
c. It enhances patient adherence to the drug regimen.
d. It is usually relatively inexpensive to produce.
ANS: C
A major benefit of drugs that are easy to administer is that patients taking them are more
likely to comply with the drug regimen. Drugs that are easy to give may have the other at-
tributes listed, but those properties are independent of ease of administration.
PTS: 1
Q-3. A patient tells the nurse that an analgesic he will begin taking may cause
drowsiness and will decrease pain up to 4 hours at a time. Based on this understanding of
the drug’s effects by the patient, the nurse will anticipate which outcome?
a. Decreased chance of having a placebo effect
b. Decreased motivation to take the drug
,c. Improved compliance with the drug regimen
d. Increased likelihood of drug overdose
ANS: C
A drug is effective if it produces the intended effects, even if it also produces side effects.
Patients who understand both the risks and benefits of taking a medication are more likely
to comply with the drug regimen.
PTS: 1
MULTIPLE RESPONSE QUESTION & ANSWERS
Q-1. What are considered the ‘Big Three’ properties of an ideal drug? (Select all
that apply.)
a. Irreversible action
b. Effectiveness
c. Safety
d. Selectivity
e. A recognizable trade name
ANS: B, C, D
The ‘Big Three’ properties of the ideal drug are effectiveness, safety, and selectivity.
PTS: 1
Q-2. Before administering a medication, what does the nurse need to know to
evaluate how individual patient variability might affect the patient’s response to the medica-
tion? (Select all that apply.)
a. Chemical stability of the medication
b. Ease of administration
c. Family medical history
d. Patient’s age
e. Patient’s diagnosis
ANS: C, D, E
The family medical history can indicate genetic factors that may affect a patient’s response
to a medication. Patients of different ages can respond differently to medications. The pa-
tient’s illness can affect how drugs are metabolized. The chemical stability of the medication
and the ease of administration are properties of drugs.
PTS: 1
,CHAPTER NO. 02: APPLICATION OF PHARMACOLOGY IN NURSING PRACTICE
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q-1. A patient is using a metered-dose inhaler containing albuterol for
asthma. The medication label instructs the patient to administer “2 puffs every 4
hours as needed for coughing or wheezing.” The patient reports feeling jittery some-
times when taking the medication, and doesn’t feel that the medication is always ef-
fective. Which action is outside the nurse’s scope of practice?
a. Asking the patient to demonstrate the use of the inhaler
b. Assessing the patient’s exposure to tobacco smoke
c. Auscultating lung sounds and obtaining vital signs
d. Suggesting that the patient use 1 puff to reduce side effects
ANS: D
It is not within the nurse’s scope of practice to change the dose of a medication
without an order from a prescriber. Asking the patient to demonstrate inhaler use
helps the nurse to evaluate the patient’s ability to administer the medication proper-
ly and is part of the nurse’s evaluation. Assessing tobacco smoke exposure helps the
nurse determine whether nondrug therapies, such a smoke avoidance, can be used
as an adjunct to drug therapy. Performing a physical assessment helps the nurse
evaluate the patient’s response to the medication.
PTS: 1
Q-2. A postoperative patient is being discharged home with acetamino-
phen/hydrocodone [Norco] for pain. The patient asks the nurse about using Tylenol
for fever. Which statement by the nurse is correct?
a. “It is not safe to take over-the-counter drugs with prescription medica-
tions.”
b. “Taking the two medications together poses a risk of drug toxicity.”
c. “There are no known drug interactions, so this will be safe.”
d. “Tylenol and Norco are different drugs, so there is no risk of overdose.”
ANS: B
Tylenol is the trade name and acetaminophen is the generic name for the same med-
ication. It is important to teach patients to be aware of the different names for the
same drug to minimize the risk of overdose. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications and
prescription medications may be taken together unless significant harmful drug in-
, teractions are possible. Even though no drug interactions are at play in this case, both
drugs contain acetaminophen, which could lead to toxicity.
PTS: 1
Q-3. The nurse is preparing to care for a patient who will be taking an anti-
hypertensive medication. Which action by the nurse is part of the assessment step of
the nursing process?
a. Asking the prescriber for an order to monitor serum drug levels
b. Monitoring the patient for drug interactions after giving the medication
c. Questioning the patient about over-the-counter medications
d. Taking the patient’s blood pressure throughout the course of treatment
ANS: C
The assessment part of the nursing process involves gathering information before
beginning treatment, and this includes asking about other medications the patient
may be taking. Monitoring serum drug levels, watching for drug interactions, and
checking vital signs after giving the medication are all part of the evaluation phase.
PTS: 1
Q-4. A postoperative patient reports pain, which the patient rates as an 8
on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the most extreme pain). The prescriber has ordered
acetaminophen [Tylenol] 650 mg PO every 6 hours PRN pain. What will the nurse do?
a. Ask the patient what medications have helped with pain in the past.
b. Contact the provider to request a different analgesic medication.
c. Give the pain medication and reposition the patient to promote comfort.
d. Request an order to administer the medication every 4 hours.
ANS: B
The nursing diagnosis for this patient is severe pain. Acetaminophen is given for mild
to moderate pain, so the nurse should ask the prescriber to order a stronger analge-
sic medication. Asking the patient to tell the nurse what has helped in the past is part
of an initial assessment and should be done preoperatively and not when the patient
is having severe pain. Because the patient is having severe pain, acetaminophen
combined with nondrug therapies will not be sufficient. Increasing the frequency of
the dose of a medication for mild pain will not be effective.
PTS: 1
