7/8/25, 7:58 AM CMS-Pharmacology
ATI PHARMACOLOGY CMS PROCTORED ACTUAL EXAM 2025-
2026 \NEWEST VERSION WITH COMPLETER QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS \VERIFIED EXAM ALREADY
GRADED A+\\LATEST UPDATE
What is pharmacokinetics? how medications travel through the body
-absorption
What biochemical processess -distribution
occur with -metabolism
pharmacokinetics? -excretion
is the transmission of medications from the location of
What is the absorption phase?
administration to the bloodstream
Most common route of enteral and parenteral
medication adminstration?
-solibility of the medication
What is absorption pattern
-Gastric emptying time
base on for oral
-presence of food in the stomach or intestines
administration?
What is the absorption pattern Quick absorption systemically through highly vascular mucous
for membranes
sublingual and buccal
administration?
What is the absorption -site with higher perfusion has higher solubility
pattern of SUBQ and IM? -lower perfusion = lower solubility
Absorption pattern of IV? -Immediate as it enters the blood
What is the distribution phase? -transportation of medications to sites of action by bodily fluids
-Circulation
What are factors that affect -Permeability of the cell membrane
distribution? -Plasma protein binding
metabolism changes medications into less active or
What is the metabolism phase?
inactive forms by the action of enzymes
Where does metabolism Primarily in the liver
occur?
What is the first-pass effect? -The liver inactivates some medications on their first pass through
liver
/ 1/40
,7/8/25, 7:58 AM CMS-Pharmacology
What is excretion? Is the elimination of medications from the body, primarily through
the kidneys.
Where else those elimination liver, lungs, intesstine, and exocrine glands
occur?
What can kidney dysfunction increase in the duration and intensity of a medications response
lead into?
What is important to -monitor BUN and creatinine
monitor for in kidney
dysfunction?
What is the therapeutic -Medications with a high therapeutic index have a wide safety
index of medications? margin
What is half-life? Half-life refers to the time for the medication in the body to drop
by 50%
How long does it take for 4-8hr
the body to remove short
half-life medications?
What about long-half life? Medications leave the body more slowly: over more than 24
hours
What are long-half life medication accumulation and toxicity
medications greater riskfor?
Describes the interactions between medications and
What is pharmacodynamics?
target cells, body systems, and organs to produce
effects
medications that bind to or mimic the receptor activity
What are agonists?
that endogenous compounds regulate
medications that can block that usual receptor activity
What are antagonists?
that endogenous compounds regulate or the receptor
activity of other medications
What are partial agonists? act as agonists and antagonists, with limited affinity to receptor
sites
Vomiting
Decreased GI
What are contraindications for
motility Absence of
oral medications?
a gag reflex
Difficulty
swallowing
Decreased level of consciousness
Example of interacting foods Grapefruit juice
/ 2/40
,7/8/25, 7:58 AM CMS-Pharmacology
or beverages that should be
avoided?
Advantages: Safe, inexpensive, easy and convenient
What are advantages and Disadvantages:
disadvantages of oral -Oral medications have highly variable absorption
medications? -Inactivation can occur in the GI tract or by first-pass effect
-Clients must be cooperative and conscious
What does sublingual and Liver
buccal administration
bypass?
Client educations of -Keep the medication in place until complete absorption occurs
buccal and sublingual? -Do not eat or drink while the tablet is in place or until is has
completely dissolved
How much sterile water is -15-30ml of sterile water
crushed tablets mixed in
dissolved in before
administrating through NG
and G tubes?
What is done to prevent -flushing the tubing before and after each medication
clogging of NG tubes? and ending with a flush after instilling all medications
Apply with a glove, tongue blade, or cotton-tipped applicator
How are topical medications
applied? -Do not apply with a bare hand
How is a patient positioned for Upright or lie supine, tilt their head slightly, and look up at the
eye administration? ceiling
/ 3/40
, 7/8/25, 7:58 AM CMS-Pharmacology
Why is their gentle pressure To prevent systemic absorption of the medication
applied to nasolacrimal
duct?
How are eye ointment thin ribbon to the edge of the lower eyelid from the inner to the
applied? outer canthus
How are medications -straighten ear and hold dropper 1cm above ear canal
administered for ear drops? -apply gentle pressure with finger of the tragus
Adults: pulling ear up and back
straigtening ear canal in adults
vs children? Children: down and back
What position should patient -side-lying position for 2-3 minutes
remain in?
Position of rectal left lateral or lateral semi-prone recumbent position
suppositories?
Best injection sites for infants? -vastus lateralis and toddlers
Which site is preferable for IM -ventrogluteal site
injections?
What injection sites should be Edematous, inflamed or have moles, birthmarks, or scars
avoided?
Sites for SUBQ injections? Abdomen, upper hips, lateral upper arms, thighs
What are IV used to -medications, fluid and blood products
administer?
16: clients who have trauma
What are general guidelines for 18: during surgery and for blood adaministration
16, 18, 22- 22-24: children, older adults, and patients who have
24 gauges? medical issues or are stable postop
What are preferable sites for arm or hand
IVs?
Site for newborns? viens in the head, lower leg, and feet
Advan: Rapid onset and absorption into the blood immediately
Advantage vs disadvantage of
IVs? Disadvan: increased risk for infection or embolism with IV
injection
What are epidural given for? IV opioid analgesia
Which providers are able to Physicians, advanced practice nurses, dentists, and physician
legally write prescriptions? assistants
What are the different Chemical, generic, and trade name
nomenclature for
medications?
/ 4/40
ATI PHARMACOLOGY CMS PROCTORED ACTUAL EXAM 2025-
2026 \NEWEST VERSION WITH COMPLETER QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS \VERIFIED EXAM ALREADY
GRADED A+\\LATEST UPDATE
What is pharmacokinetics? how medications travel through the body
-absorption
What biochemical processess -distribution
occur with -metabolism
pharmacokinetics? -excretion
is the transmission of medications from the location of
What is the absorption phase?
administration to the bloodstream
Most common route of enteral and parenteral
medication adminstration?
-solibility of the medication
What is absorption pattern
-Gastric emptying time
base on for oral
-presence of food in the stomach or intestines
administration?
What is the absorption pattern Quick absorption systemically through highly vascular mucous
for membranes
sublingual and buccal
administration?
What is the absorption -site with higher perfusion has higher solubility
pattern of SUBQ and IM? -lower perfusion = lower solubility
Absorption pattern of IV? -Immediate as it enters the blood
What is the distribution phase? -transportation of medications to sites of action by bodily fluids
-Circulation
What are factors that affect -Permeability of the cell membrane
distribution? -Plasma protein binding
metabolism changes medications into less active or
What is the metabolism phase?
inactive forms by the action of enzymes
Where does metabolism Primarily in the liver
occur?
What is the first-pass effect? -The liver inactivates some medications on their first pass through
liver
/ 1/40
,7/8/25, 7:58 AM CMS-Pharmacology
What is excretion? Is the elimination of medications from the body, primarily through
the kidneys.
Where else those elimination liver, lungs, intesstine, and exocrine glands
occur?
What can kidney dysfunction increase in the duration and intensity of a medications response
lead into?
What is important to -monitor BUN and creatinine
monitor for in kidney
dysfunction?
What is the therapeutic -Medications with a high therapeutic index have a wide safety
index of medications? margin
What is half-life? Half-life refers to the time for the medication in the body to drop
by 50%
How long does it take for 4-8hr
the body to remove short
half-life medications?
What about long-half life? Medications leave the body more slowly: over more than 24
hours
What are long-half life medication accumulation and toxicity
medications greater riskfor?
Describes the interactions between medications and
What is pharmacodynamics?
target cells, body systems, and organs to produce
effects
medications that bind to or mimic the receptor activity
What are agonists?
that endogenous compounds regulate
medications that can block that usual receptor activity
What are antagonists?
that endogenous compounds regulate or the receptor
activity of other medications
What are partial agonists? act as agonists and antagonists, with limited affinity to receptor
sites
Vomiting
Decreased GI
What are contraindications for
motility Absence of
oral medications?
a gag reflex
Difficulty
swallowing
Decreased level of consciousness
Example of interacting foods Grapefruit juice
/ 2/40
,7/8/25, 7:58 AM CMS-Pharmacology
or beverages that should be
avoided?
Advantages: Safe, inexpensive, easy and convenient
What are advantages and Disadvantages:
disadvantages of oral -Oral medications have highly variable absorption
medications? -Inactivation can occur in the GI tract or by first-pass effect
-Clients must be cooperative and conscious
What does sublingual and Liver
buccal administration
bypass?
Client educations of -Keep the medication in place until complete absorption occurs
buccal and sublingual? -Do not eat or drink while the tablet is in place or until is has
completely dissolved
How much sterile water is -15-30ml of sterile water
crushed tablets mixed in
dissolved in before
administrating through NG
and G tubes?
What is done to prevent -flushing the tubing before and after each medication
clogging of NG tubes? and ending with a flush after instilling all medications
Apply with a glove, tongue blade, or cotton-tipped applicator
How are topical medications
applied? -Do not apply with a bare hand
How is a patient positioned for Upright or lie supine, tilt their head slightly, and look up at the
eye administration? ceiling
/ 3/40
, 7/8/25, 7:58 AM CMS-Pharmacology
Why is their gentle pressure To prevent systemic absorption of the medication
applied to nasolacrimal
duct?
How are eye ointment thin ribbon to the edge of the lower eyelid from the inner to the
applied? outer canthus
How are medications -straighten ear and hold dropper 1cm above ear canal
administered for ear drops? -apply gentle pressure with finger of the tragus
Adults: pulling ear up and back
straigtening ear canal in adults
vs children? Children: down and back
What position should patient -side-lying position for 2-3 minutes
remain in?
Position of rectal left lateral or lateral semi-prone recumbent position
suppositories?
Best injection sites for infants? -vastus lateralis and toddlers
Which site is preferable for IM -ventrogluteal site
injections?
What injection sites should be Edematous, inflamed or have moles, birthmarks, or scars
avoided?
Sites for SUBQ injections? Abdomen, upper hips, lateral upper arms, thighs
What are IV used to -medications, fluid and blood products
administer?
16: clients who have trauma
What are general guidelines for 18: during surgery and for blood adaministration
16, 18, 22- 22-24: children, older adults, and patients who have
24 gauges? medical issues or are stable postop
What are preferable sites for arm or hand
IVs?
Site for newborns? viens in the head, lower leg, and feet
Advan: Rapid onset and absorption into the blood immediately
Advantage vs disadvantage of
IVs? Disadvan: increased risk for infection or embolism with IV
injection
What are epidural given for? IV opioid analgesia
Which providers are able to Physicians, advanced practice nurses, dentists, and physician
legally write prescriptions? assistants
What are the different Chemical, generic, and trade name
nomenclature for
medications?
/ 4/40
