Pharmacology Practice – Evolve/HESI 2025–2026
Review Focus: Medication administration, dosage
calculations, adverse effects, pharmacotherapeutics,
and nursing considerations.
1. The nurse is administering a sublingual medication. What is the correct instruction to give
the patient?
A. "Chew the tablet thoroughly before swallowing."
B. "Place the tablet under your tongue and let it dissolve." ✓
C. "Swallow the tablet whole with a full glass of water."
D. "Place the tablet between your cheek and gum."
2. A medication order reads "Digoxin 0.125 mg PO daily." The available tablets are 125 mcg.
How many tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 1 tablet ✓
C. 1.5 tablets
D. 2 tablets
*Calculation: 0.125 mg = 125 mcg. 125 mcg / 125 mcg per tablet = 1 tablet.*
3. The "Rights of Medication Administration" include all of the following EXCEPT:
A. Right patient
B. Right dose
C. Right pharmacy ✓
D. Right route
4. When administering an intramuscular (IM) injection to an adult, the nurse selects which
site as the safest due to its distance from major nerves and blood vessels?
A. Deltoid
B. Dorsogluteal
C. Vastus lateralis ✓
D. Rectus femoris
5. A Z-track technique is used when administering certain IM injections to:
A. Ensure the medication reaches the muscle layer.
B. Prevent staining of the patient's clothing.
,C. Prevent leakage of irritating medication into subcutaneous tissues. ✓
D. Allow for faster absorption of the medication.
6. The nurse is preparing to administer ear drops to an adult patient. To straighten the ear
canal, the nurse should:
A. Pull the pinna upward and backward. ✓
B. Pull the pinna downward and backward.
C. Pull the pinna upward and forward.
D. Pull the pinna downward and forward.
7. A patient is ordered to receive a medication via a nasogastric (NG) tube. The nurse's
priority action after administering the medication is to:
A. Flush the tube with 30 mL of sterile water. ✓
B. Clamp the tube for 30 minutes.
C. Instill a liquid nutritional supplement.
D. Suction the tube for residual medication.
8. What is the primary purpose of a tuberculin syringe?
A. To administer insulin
B. To administer large volumes of fluid IV
C. To measure small doses accurately (e.g., 0.1 mL) ✓
D. To mix medications from two vials
9. The physician orders 1,000 mL of 0.9% NaCl IV to infuse over 8 hours. The IV tubing drop
factor is 15 gtt/mL. What is the correct flow rate in drops per minute?
A. 31 gtt/min ✓
B. 42 gtt/min
C. 125 gtt/min
D. 188 gtt/min
*Calculation: (1,000 mL / 480 min) x 15 gtt/mL = 31.25 ≈ 31 gtt/min.*
10. A patient is receiving a transdermal nitroglycerin patch. The nurse should provide which
instruction?
A. "Apply the patch to the same site every day to ensure consistent absorption."
B. "Place the patch on a hairy area of the chest to keep it secure."
C. "Remove the old patch before applying a new one." ✓
D. "Cover the patch with a heating pad if you have chest pain."
11. A drug's therapeutic index is a measure of:
A. Its potency.
, B. Its safety margin. ✓
C. Its duration of action.
D. Its route of administration.
12. The first-pass effect primarily occurs with medications administered by which route?
A. Intravenous (IV)
B. Intramuscular (IM)
C. Subcutaneous (Subcut)
D. Oral (PO) ✓
13. A patient with a severe infection is started on a loading dose of an antibiotic. The purpose
of a loading dose is to:
A. Prevent the development of resistance.
B. Achieve a therapeutic plasma level rapidly. ✓
C. Minimize the cost of therapy.
D. Reduce the frequency of side effects.
14. When drawing up medication from an ampule, the nurse should:
A. Use a filter needle to withdraw the medication. ✓
B. Inject air into the ampule before withdrawal.
C. Snap the ampule neck away from the body.
D. All of the above.
15. The nurse understands that enteric-coated tablets are designed to:
A. Dissolve quickly in the stomach.
B. Dissolve in the small intestine. ✓
C. Provide a sustained-release effect.
D. Have a pleasant taste.
16. A patient is ordered Ibuprofen 600 mg PO. The available tablets are 200 mg each. How
many tablets will the nurse administer?
A. 1.5 tablets
B. 2 tablets
C. 3 tablets ✓
D. 4 tablets
17. Which action is essential when administering a medication via a metered-dose inhaler
(MDI)?
A. Shake the inhaler vigorously for 1-2 seconds.
B. Inhale slowly and deeply over 3-5 seconds while activating the inhaler. ✓
Review Focus: Medication administration, dosage
calculations, adverse effects, pharmacotherapeutics,
and nursing considerations.
1. The nurse is administering a sublingual medication. What is the correct instruction to give
the patient?
A. "Chew the tablet thoroughly before swallowing."
B. "Place the tablet under your tongue and let it dissolve." ✓
C. "Swallow the tablet whole with a full glass of water."
D. "Place the tablet between your cheek and gum."
2. A medication order reads "Digoxin 0.125 mg PO daily." The available tablets are 125 mcg.
How many tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 1 tablet ✓
C. 1.5 tablets
D. 2 tablets
*Calculation: 0.125 mg = 125 mcg. 125 mcg / 125 mcg per tablet = 1 tablet.*
3. The "Rights of Medication Administration" include all of the following EXCEPT:
A. Right patient
B. Right dose
C. Right pharmacy ✓
D. Right route
4. When administering an intramuscular (IM) injection to an adult, the nurse selects which
site as the safest due to its distance from major nerves and blood vessels?
A. Deltoid
B. Dorsogluteal
C. Vastus lateralis ✓
D. Rectus femoris
5. A Z-track technique is used when administering certain IM injections to:
A. Ensure the medication reaches the muscle layer.
B. Prevent staining of the patient's clothing.
,C. Prevent leakage of irritating medication into subcutaneous tissues. ✓
D. Allow for faster absorption of the medication.
6. The nurse is preparing to administer ear drops to an adult patient. To straighten the ear
canal, the nurse should:
A. Pull the pinna upward and backward. ✓
B. Pull the pinna downward and backward.
C. Pull the pinna upward and forward.
D. Pull the pinna downward and forward.
7. A patient is ordered to receive a medication via a nasogastric (NG) tube. The nurse's
priority action after administering the medication is to:
A. Flush the tube with 30 mL of sterile water. ✓
B. Clamp the tube for 30 minutes.
C. Instill a liquid nutritional supplement.
D. Suction the tube for residual medication.
8. What is the primary purpose of a tuberculin syringe?
A. To administer insulin
B. To administer large volumes of fluid IV
C. To measure small doses accurately (e.g., 0.1 mL) ✓
D. To mix medications from two vials
9. The physician orders 1,000 mL of 0.9% NaCl IV to infuse over 8 hours. The IV tubing drop
factor is 15 gtt/mL. What is the correct flow rate in drops per minute?
A. 31 gtt/min ✓
B. 42 gtt/min
C. 125 gtt/min
D. 188 gtt/min
*Calculation: (1,000 mL / 480 min) x 15 gtt/mL = 31.25 ≈ 31 gtt/min.*
10. A patient is receiving a transdermal nitroglycerin patch. The nurse should provide which
instruction?
A. "Apply the patch to the same site every day to ensure consistent absorption."
B. "Place the patch on a hairy area of the chest to keep it secure."
C. "Remove the old patch before applying a new one." ✓
D. "Cover the patch with a heating pad if you have chest pain."
11. A drug's therapeutic index is a measure of:
A. Its potency.
, B. Its safety margin. ✓
C. Its duration of action.
D. Its route of administration.
12. The first-pass effect primarily occurs with medications administered by which route?
A. Intravenous (IV)
B. Intramuscular (IM)
C. Subcutaneous (Subcut)
D. Oral (PO) ✓
13. A patient with a severe infection is started on a loading dose of an antibiotic. The purpose
of a loading dose is to:
A. Prevent the development of resistance.
B. Achieve a therapeutic plasma level rapidly. ✓
C. Minimize the cost of therapy.
D. Reduce the frequency of side effects.
14. When drawing up medication from an ampule, the nurse should:
A. Use a filter needle to withdraw the medication. ✓
B. Inject air into the ampule before withdrawal.
C. Snap the ampule neck away from the body.
D. All of the above.
15. The nurse understands that enteric-coated tablets are designed to:
A. Dissolve quickly in the stomach.
B. Dissolve in the small intestine. ✓
C. Provide a sustained-release effect.
D. Have a pleasant taste.
16. A patient is ordered Ibuprofen 600 mg PO. The available tablets are 200 mg each. How
many tablets will the nurse administer?
A. 1.5 tablets
B. 2 tablets
C. 3 tablets ✓
D. 4 tablets
17. Which action is essential when administering a medication via a metered-dose inhaler
(MDI)?
A. Shake the inhaler vigorously for 1-2 seconds.
B. Inhale slowly and deeply over 3-5 seconds while activating the inhaler. ✓
