Medication Administration UPDATED
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
A patient has asked you about the difference between a generic drug and a trade- or brand name
drug. You explain that a generic drug (select all that apply)
A. has the potential for abuse and dependence
B. has the same chemical composition as the brand name drug.
C. may have several brand names
D. may have several generic names
E. is usually less expensive than a brand-name drug - CORRECT ANSWER - B. has the same
chemical composition as the brand name drug.
C. may have several brand names
E. is usually less expensive than a brand-name drug
A patient with glaucoma asks you about taking oxybutynin (Ditropan), a muscarinic antagonist,
to manage an overactive bladder. You explain that glaucoma is a contraindication for taking
oxybutynin. Patients should not take a drug that is contraindicated because of its potential for
which of the following?
A. serious adverse reactions
B. drug tolerance
C. drug dependence
D. interactions with other drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - A. serious adverse reactions
Some drugs are unsafe for patients with certain characteristics or disorders, or because they eat
certain foods or take certain drugs, because these drugs have the potential to cause serious or
life-threatening adverse effects. Drug tolerance is a decreased response to a drug over a period of
time. Drug dependence is a physiologic or psychologic need for a drug. A drug interaction is an
alternation in the expected pharmacologic action of a drug which results from an interaction with
another drug.
,You note that a primary care provide prescribed morphine sulfate, an opioid agonist, to relieve a
patient's postoperative pain. which of the following describes the action of an agonist on a
receptor?
A. destroys the receptor
B. competes with the receptor
C. activates the receptor
D. blocks the receptor - CORRECT ANSWER - C. activates the receptor
Agonists bind with receptor sites on a cell and activate them to produce a response. In contrast,
antagonists block drugs from receptor sites, blocking the drug's intended reaction. Antagonists
that compete with an antagonist for cell receptor sites are called competitive antagonists. Drugs
typically do not destroy the receptor sites on cells.
A patient who has a peanut allergy comes to the emergency department with suspected
anaphylactic shock. Which of the following actions should you anticipate taking? (select all that
apply)
A. initiate oxygen therapy to support respiratory function
B. administer epinephrine to increase blood pressure
C. give diphenhydramine to stop histamine release
D. establish and maintain an open airway to ensure oxygenation.
E. Administer a drug agonist to neutralize the allergic reaction - CORRECT ANSWER - A.
initiate oxygen therapy to support respiratory function
B. administer epinephrine to increase blood pressure
C. give diphenhydramine to stop histamine release
D. establish and maintain an open airway to ensure oxygenation.
You are talking with a patient about taking tetracycline along with an antacid. You tell the patient
not to take these two drugs at the same time because the antacid can reduce the absorption of
tetracycline. When one drug reduces the effect of another drug, it is
A. an allergic reaction
B. a synergistic effect
,C. an antagonistic effect
D. an adverse reaction - CORRECT ANSWER - C. an antagonistic effect
Primary care providers prescribe drug dosages for children using which of the following
information?
(Select all that apply)
A. body surface area
B. age
C. weight
D. developmental level
E. drug properties - CORRECT ANSWER - A. body surface area
B. age
C. weight
E. drug properties
To avoid toxicity, overdose, or undertreatment, primary care providers adjust drugs for children
based on their body surface area, age, and weight, along with drug properties such as metabolism
and excretion. The child's developmental level may determine the method of administration, but
not the appropriate dosage.
An older adult patient may be at risk for drug toxicity due to which of the following physiologic
changes associated with aging?
A. reduced hepatic blood flow
B. increased glomerular filtration rate
C. reduced body fat
D. increased gastric motility - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Reduced hepatic blood flow
You are helping a patient learn how to give himself an insulin injection. Which of the following
is the best method of evaluating effective learning?
A. verbally quiz a family member
, B. instruct the patient to complete a written test
C. have the patient demonstrate an insulin injection
D. ask the patient several key questions about the procedure - CORRECT ANSWER - C. have
the patient demonstrate an insulin injection
A health care professional obtaining a patient's health history discovers that the patient takes
loratadine (Claritin), an over-the-counter drug. Which of the following information about over-
the-counter drugs is correct? (select all that apply)
A. they do not require supervision of a health care professional
B. They can interact with other drugs
C. They should be included in the drugs history assessment
D. They are less effective than prescription drugs
E. they do not cause toxicity - CORRECT ANSWER - A. they do not require supervision of a
health care professional
B. They can interact with other drugs
C. They should be included in the drugs history assessment
A health care professional is talking about drugs that have a small margin of safety to a patient
who is taking phenytoin (Dilantin). The health care professional should include which of the
following information (select all that apply)
A. periodic laboratory tests are essential to measure serum drug levels
B. monitoring for indications of toxicity is important
C. effects can decrease over an extended period of time
D. Taking the smallest effective dose is crucial
E. Increasing fluid intake is recommended to avoid toxicity - CORRECT ANSWER - A.
periodic laboratory tests are essential to measure serum drug levels
B. monitoring for indications of toxicity is important
D. Taking the smallest effective dose is crucial
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
A patient has asked you about the difference between a generic drug and a trade- or brand name
drug. You explain that a generic drug (select all that apply)
A. has the potential for abuse and dependence
B. has the same chemical composition as the brand name drug.
C. may have several brand names
D. may have several generic names
E. is usually less expensive than a brand-name drug - CORRECT ANSWER - B. has the same
chemical composition as the brand name drug.
C. may have several brand names
E. is usually less expensive than a brand-name drug
A patient with glaucoma asks you about taking oxybutynin (Ditropan), a muscarinic antagonist,
to manage an overactive bladder. You explain that glaucoma is a contraindication for taking
oxybutynin. Patients should not take a drug that is contraindicated because of its potential for
which of the following?
A. serious adverse reactions
B. drug tolerance
C. drug dependence
D. interactions with other drugs - CORRECT ANSWER - A. serious adverse reactions
Some drugs are unsafe for patients with certain characteristics or disorders, or because they eat
certain foods or take certain drugs, because these drugs have the potential to cause serious or
life-threatening adverse effects. Drug tolerance is a decreased response to a drug over a period of
time. Drug dependence is a physiologic or psychologic need for a drug. A drug interaction is an
alternation in the expected pharmacologic action of a drug which results from an interaction with
another drug.
,You note that a primary care provide prescribed morphine sulfate, an opioid agonist, to relieve a
patient's postoperative pain. which of the following describes the action of an agonist on a
receptor?
A. destroys the receptor
B. competes with the receptor
C. activates the receptor
D. blocks the receptor - CORRECT ANSWER - C. activates the receptor
Agonists bind with receptor sites on a cell and activate them to produce a response. In contrast,
antagonists block drugs from receptor sites, blocking the drug's intended reaction. Antagonists
that compete with an antagonist for cell receptor sites are called competitive antagonists. Drugs
typically do not destroy the receptor sites on cells.
A patient who has a peanut allergy comes to the emergency department with suspected
anaphylactic shock. Which of the following actions should you anticipate taking? (select all that
apply)
A. initiate oxygen therapy to support respiratory function
B. administer epinephrine to increase blood pressure
C. give diphenhydramine to stop histamine release
D. establish and maintain an open airway to ensure oxygenation.
E. Administer a drug agonist to neutralize the allergic reaction - CORRECT ANSWER - A.
initiate oxygen therapy to support respiratory function
B. administer epinephrine to increase blood pressure
C. give diphenhydramine to stop histamine release
D. establish and maintain an open airway to ensure oxygenation.
You are talking with a patient about taking tetracycline along with an antacid. You tell the patient
not to take these two drugs at the same time because the antacid can reduce the absorption of
tetracycline. When one drug reduces the effect of another drug, it is
A. an allergic reaction
B. a synergistic effect
,C. an antagonistic effect
D. an adverse reaction - CORRECT ANSWER - C. an antagonistic effect
Primary care providers prescribe drug dosages for children using which of the following
information?
(Select all that apply)
A. body surface area
B. age
C. weight
D. developmental level
E. drug properties - CORRECT ANSWER - A. body surface area
B. age
C. weight
E. drug properties
To avoid toxicity, overdose, or undertreatment, primary care providers adjust drugs for children
based on their body surface area, age, and weight, along with drug properties such as metabolism
and excretion. The child's developmental level may determine the method of administration, but
not the appropriate dosage.
An older adult patient may be at risk for drug toxicity due to which of the following physiologic
changes associated with aging?
A. reduced hepatic blood flow
B. increased glomerular filtration rate
C. reduced body fat
D. increased gastric motility - CORRECT ANSWER - A. Reduced hepatic blood flow
You are helping a patient learn how to give himself an insulin injection. Which of the following
is the best method of evaluating effective learning?
A. verbally quiz a family member
, B. instruct the patient to complete a written test
C. have the patient demonstrate an insulin injection
D. ask the patient several key questions about the procedure - CORRECT ANSWER - C. have
the patient demonstrate an insulin injection
A health care professional obtaining a patient's health history discovers that the patient takes
loratadine (Claritin), an over-the-counter drug. Which of the following information about over-
the-counter drugs is correct? (select all that apply)
A. they do not require supervision of a health care professional
B. They can interact with other drugs
C. They should be included in the drugs history assessment
D. They are less effective than prescription drugs
E. they do not cause toxicity - CORRECT ANSWER - A. they do not require supervision of a
health care professional
B. They can interact with other drugs
C. They should be included in the drugs history assessment
A health care professional is talking about drugs that have a small margin of safety to a patient
who is taking phenytoin (Dilantin). The health care professional should include which of the
following information (select all that apply)
A. periodic laboratory tests are essential to measure serum drug levels
B. monitoring for indications of toxicity is important
C. effects can decrease over an extended period of time
D. Taking the smallest effective dose is crucial
E. Increasing fluid intake is recommended to avoid toxicity - CORRECT ANSWER - A.
periodic laboratory tests are essential to measure serum drug levels
B. monitoring for indications of toxicity is important
D. Taking the smallest effective dose is crucial
