NGN HESI RN Pharmacology Exam (Latest 2025–2026
Edition) | 85+ Verified Questions & Answers | 100%
Accurate Solutions | Graded A+
The NGN HESI RN Pharmacology Exam 2025–2026 Edition is a comprehensive,
expertly verified study resource containing 85+ of the most accurate and up-to-date
pharmacology questions and answers. It aligns with the Next Generation NCLEX
(NGN) format, designed to test your clinical reasoning, medication safety awareness, and
advanced pharmacotherapeutic understanding in nursing practice.
Introduction
This updated exam preparation material focuses on major drug classifications,
mechanisms of action, dosage calculations, adverse effects, contraindications, and
nursing interventions. Each question is crafted according to the latest HESI
pharmacology test plan, ensuring full coverage of essential pharmacological concepts tested
in 2025–2026. The questions mirror NGN-style formats, including case-based, multiple
response, fill-in-the-blank, and clinical decision-making scenarios.
Answer Format
All correct answers are highlighted in bold and green, with detailed rationales explaining
drug actions, nursing implications, and patient safety principles. This verified version is graded
A+ and reviewed by clinical nursing educators, making it a dependable tool for mastering
pharmacology and achieving top performance on your NGN HESI RN Pharmacology Exam.
Questions 1–85
1. A nurse is administering morphine 2 mg IV to a patient in pain. The
patient suddenly becomes hypotensive. What is the priority action?
a) Continue the infusion
b) Stop the infusion and notify the provider
c) Give the patient oxygen
d) Administer naloxone
b) Stop the infusion and notify the provider
Rationale: Morphine can cause hypotension due to vasodilation; stopping the infusion and
notifying the provider is the priority to prevent further harm, per NGN clinical judgment for
medication safety.
2. The nurse is preparing to administer furosemide 40 mg IV to a patient
with heart failure. What should the nurse do first?
a) Administer the dose
b) Assess the patient's potassium level
,c) Check the patient's blood pressure
d) Teach the patient about the drug
c) Check the patient's blood pressure
Rationale: Furosemide can cause hypotension; assessing blood pressure first ensures safe
administration, aligning with NGN prioritization of patient safety.
3. A patient is receiving warfarin therapy. The nurse notes the patient's INR
is 3.5. What is the priority action?
a) Continue the dose
b) Hold the next dose and notify the provider
c) Administer vitamin K
d) Increase the dose
b) Hold the next dose and notify the provider
Rationale: INR of 3.5 is above the therapeutic range (2-3) for warfarin, increasing bleeding risk;
holding the dose and notifying the provider is priority.
4. The nurse is administering a dose of levothyroxine to a patient with
hypothyroidism. The patient asks why it must be taken on an empty
stomach. What is the best response?
a) "It can be taken with food to improve absorption."
b) "Food can interfere with absorption."
c) "It tastes better without food."
d) "It's to prevent nausea."
b) "Food can interfere with absorption."
Rationale: Levothyroxine absorption is reduced by food; taking it on an empty stomach
maximizes efficacy, per medication administration guidelines.
5. A patient is receiving vancomycin IV for MRSA infection. The nurse notes
the patient has ringing in the ears. What should the nurse do?
a) Continue the infusion
b) Stop the infusion and notify the provider
c) Give the patient aspirin
d) Increase the dose
b) Stop the infusion and notify the provider
Rationale: Ringing in the ears is ototoxicity, a serious adverse effect of vancomycin; stopping
the infusion prevents further damage.
6. The nurse is teaching a patient about digoxin. The patient has a heart rate
of 58 bpm. What is the priority action?
a) Administer the dose
b) Hold the dose and notify the provider
c) Give the patient coffee
d) Teach the patient about the drug
b) Hold the dose and notify the provider
Rationale: Digoxin is held for HR <60 bpm to avoid toxicity; notification is priority for safety.
, 7. A patient is receiving IV insulin. The nurse notes the patient's blood
glucose is 65 mg/dL. What should the nurse do?
a) Continue the infusion
b) Stop the infusion and give 15g carbs
c) Increase the insulin rate
d) Ignore the reading
b) Stop the infusion and give 15g carbs
Rationale: Blood glucose <70 mg/dL indicates hypoglycemia; stopping insulin and
administering carbs is priority treatment.
8. The nurse is administering a dose of lisinopril to a patient with
hypertension. The patient reports a dry cough. What is the priority action?
a) Continue the medication
b) Notify the provider
c) Give the patient water
d) Increase the dose
b) Notify the provider
Rationale: Dry cough is a common side effect of ACE inhibitors like lisinopril; notification may
lead to medication change.
9. A patient is receiving chemotherapy with cisplatin. The nurse notes the
patient has nausea and vomiting. What is the priority intervention?
a) Ignore the symptoms
b) Administer ondansetron
c) Increase the dose
d) Encourage eating
b) Administer ondansetron
Rationale: Ondansetron is an antiemetic used to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and
vomiting.
10. The nurse is preparing to administer a dose of atropine to a patient with
bradycardia. What should the nurse assess first?
a) Blood glucose
b) Heart rate
c) Blood pressure
d) Temperature
b) Heart rate
Rationale: Atropine is used to treat bradycardia (HR <60 bpm); assessing heart rate first
ensures appropriate administration.
Questions 11–85
11. A patient is receiving IV heparin. The nurse notes the patient's aPTT is
80 seconds. What is the priority action?
Edition) | 85+ Verified Questions & Answers | 100%
Accurate Solutions | Graded A+
The NGN HESI RN Pharmacology Exam 2025–2026 Edition is a comprehensive,
expertly verified study resource containing 85+ of the most accurate and up-to-date
pharmacology questions and answers. It aligns with the Next Generation NCLEX
(NGN) format, designed to test your clinical reasoning, medication safety awareness, and
advanced pharmacotherapeutic understanding in nursing practice.
Introduction
This updated exam preparation material focuses on major drug classifications,
mechanisms of action, dosage calculations, adverse effects, contraindications, and
nursing interventions. Each question is crafted according to the latest HESI
pharmacology test plan, ensuring full coverage of essential pharmacological concepts tested
in 2025–2026. The questions mirror NGN-style formats, including case-based, multiple
response, fill-in-the-blank, and clinical decision-making scenarios.
Answer Format
All correct answers are highlighted in bold and green, with detailed rationales explaining
drug actions, nursing implications, and patient safety principles. This verified version is graded
A+ and reviewed by clinical nursing educators, making it a dependable tool for mastering
pharmacology and achieving top performance on your NGN HESI RN Pharmacology Exam.
Questions 1–85
1. A nurse is administering morphine 2 mg IV to a patient in pain. The
patient suddenly becomes hypotensive. What is the priority action?
a) Continue the infusion
b) Stop the infusion and notify the provider
c) Give the patient oxygen
d) Administer naloxone
b) Stop the infusion and notify the provider
Rationale: Morphine can cause hypotension due to vasodilation; stopping the infusion and
notifying the provider is the priority to prevent further harm, per NGN clinical judgment for
medication safety.
2. The nurse is preparing to administer furosemide 40 mg IV to a patient
with heart failure. What should the nurse do first?
a) Administer the dose
b) Assess the patient's potassium level
,c) Check the patient's blood pressure
d) Teach the patient about the drug
c) Check the patient's blood pressure
Rationale: Furosemide can cause hypotension; assessing blood pressure first ensures safe
administration, aligning with NGN prioritization of patient safety.
3. A patient is receiving warfarin therapy. The nurse notes the patient's INR
is 3.5. What is the priority action?
a) Continue the dose
b) Hold the next dose and notify the provider
c) Administer vitamin K
d) Increase the dose
b) Hold the next dose and notify the provider
Rationale: INR of 3.5 is above the therapeutic range (2-3) for warfarin, increasing bleeding risk;
holding the dose and notifying the provider is priority.
4. The nurse is administering a dose of levothyroxine to a patient with
hypothyroidism. The patient asks why it must be taken on an empty
stomach. What is the best response?
a) "It can be taken with food to improve absorption."
b) "Food can interfere with absorption."
c) "It tastes better without food."
d) "It's to prevent nausea."
b) "Food can interfere with absorption."
Rationale: Levothyroxine absorption is reduced by food; taking it on an empty stomach
maximizes efficacy, per medication administration guidelines.
5. A patient is receiving vancomycin IV for MRSA infection. The nurse notes
the patient has ringing in the ears. What should the nurse do?
a) Continue the infusion
b) Stop the infusion and notify the provider
c) Give the patient aspirin
d) Increase the dose
b) Stop the infusion and notify the provider
Rationale: Ringing in the ears is ototoxicity, a serious adverse effect of vancomycin; stopping
the infusion prevents further damage.
6. The nurse is teaching a patient about digoxin. The patient has a heart rate
of 58 bpm. What is the priority action?
a) Administer the dose
b) Hold the dose and notify the provider
c) Give the patient coffee
d) Teach the patient about the drug
b) Hold the dose and notify the provider
Rationale: Digoxin is held for HR <60 bpm to avoid toxicity; notification is priority for safety.
, 7. A patient is receiving IV insulin. The nurse notes the patient's blood
glucose is 65 mg/dL. What should the nurse do?
a) Continue the infusion
b) Stop the infusion and give 15g carbs
c) Increase the insulin rate
d) Ignore the reading
b) Stop the infusion and give 15g carbs
Rationale: Blood glucose <70 mg/dL indicates hypoglycemia; stopping insulin and
administering carbs is priority treatment.
8. The nurse is administering a dose of lisinopril to a patient with
hypertension. The patient reports a dry cough. What is the priority action?
a) Continue the medication
b) Notify the provider
c) Give the patient water
d) Increase the dose
b) Notify the provider
Rationale: Dry cough is a common side effect of ACE inhibitors like lisinopril; notification may
lead to medication change.
9. A patient is receiving chemotherapy with cisplatin. The nurse notes the
patient has nausea and vomiting. What is the priority intervention?
a) Ignore the symptoms
b) Administer ondansetron
c) Increase the dose
d) Encourage eating
b) Administer ondansetron
Rationale: Ondansetron is an antiemetic used to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and
vomiting.
10. The nurse is preparing to administer a dose of atropine to a patient with
bradycardia. What should the nurse assess first?
a) Blood glucose
b) Heart rate
c) Blood pressure
d) Temperature
b) Heart rate
Rationale: Atropine is used to treat bradycardia (HR <60 bpm); assessing heart rate first
ensures appropriate administration.
Questions 11–85
11. A patient is receiving IV heparin. The nurse notes the patient's aPTT is
80 seconds. What is the priority action?
