NSG3022 Pharmacotherapeutics Chap25 Exam
Study Guide
A patient admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of pneumonia asks the nurse why she
is receiving codeine when she is free of pain. What is the nurse's best response? -
ANSWER Answer:"This medication will help decrease your coughing."
Codeine provides both analgesic and antitussive therapeutic effects. It does not
strengthen the immune system, increase lung volume, or help the patient expectorate
sputum.
The nurse is teaching a patient with decreased hepatic function about taking pain
relievers. What is the most important information to teach this patient? - ANSWER
Answer:Take no more than 2 grams of acetaminophen per day.
The patient with decreased hepatic function should decrease the dose of
acetaminophen.
A patient is admitted for treatment of opioid addiction. Which intervention is a priority? -
ANSWER Answer:Administer methadone.
Methadone is a synthetic opioid analgesic with gentler withdrawal symptoms and is the
drug of choice for detoxification treatment. The patient's blood pressure needs to be
monitored more frequently than every 8 hours for a patient in withdrawal. The patient's
temperature is not a concern. Narcan is not administered to the patient in withdrawal
from narcotic addiction.
The nurse is assessing a patient taking morphine sulfate. Which assessment requires
immediate action? - ANSWER Answer:Pinpoint pupils
Pinpoint pupils might be a sign of morphine overdose or toxicity. The nurse needs to act
on this finding immediately. Decreased bowel sounds and constipation are expected.
, Nausea and delayed gastric emptying are expected side effects of morphine sulfate and
do not require immediate action.
The patient is admitted with an acetaminophen overdose. In addition to monitoring liver
function results, the nursing would anticipate administering which of the following? -
ANSWER Answer:Acetylcysteine
When acetaminophen toxicity occurs, acetylcysteine is the antidote, which reduces liver
injury by converting toxic metabolites to a nontoxic form.
What will the nurse teach the patient who is prescribed a fentanyl transdermal delivery
system? - ANSWER Answer:Change the patch every 72 hours.
The fentanyl transdermal delivery system is designed to slowly release analgesic over a
72-hour period. It should not be changed every time that pain recurs, every 24 hours, or
once a week.
A patient who has been taking morphine for pain is assessed by the nurse. The patient's
respiratory rate is 7 per minute, and pupils are 1 mm and unreactive. What is the nurse's
immediate action? - ANSWER Answer: Administer naloxone.
Morphine overdose can be indicated by unresponsive, pinpoint pupils and respiratory
depression. Rescue breathing, calling anesthesia, or calling a code will not correct the
underlying problem.
In monitoring a patient for adverse effects related to morphine sulfate, which is a
priority assessment? - ANSWER Answer: Assess for nausea and vomiting.
Morphine sulfate can cause nausea and vomiting by stimulating the vomiting center in
the brain.
Which assessment is most important for the nurse to monitor in a patient receiving an
opioid analgesic? - ANSWER Answer: Respiratory rate
Study Guide
A patient admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of pneumonia asks the nurse why she
is receiving codeine when she is free of pain. What is the nurse's best response? -
ANSWER Answer:"This medication will help decrease your coughing."
Codeine provides both analgesic and antitussive therapeutic effects. It does not
strengthen the immune system, increase lung volume, or help the patient expectorate
sputum.
The nurse is teaching a patient with decreased hepatic function about taking pain
relievers. What is the most important information to teach this patient? - ANSWER
Answer:Take no more than 2 grams of acetaminophen per day.
The patient with decreased hepatic function should decrease the dose of
acetaminophen.
A patient is admitted for treatment of opioid addiction. Which intervention is a priority? -
ANSWER Answer:Administer methadone.
Methadone is a synthetic opioid analgesic with gentler withdrawal symptoms and is the
drug of choice for detoxification treatment. The patient's blood pressure needs to be
monitored more frequently than every 8 hours for a patient in withdrawal. The patient's
temperature is not a concern. Narcan is not administered to the patient in withdrawal
from narcotic addiction.
The nurse is assessing a patient taking morphine sulfate. Which assessment requires
immediate action? - ANSWER Answer:Pinpoint pupils
Pinpoint pupils might be a sign of morphine overdose or toxicity. The nurse needs to act
on this finding immediately. Decreased bowel sounds and constipation are expected.
, Nausea and delayed gastric emptying are expected side effects of morphine sulfate and
do not require immediate action.
The patient is admitted with an acetaminophen overdose. In addition to monitoring liver
function results, the nursing would anticipate administering which of the following? -
ANSWER Answer:Acetylcysteine
When acetaminophen toxicity occurs, acetylcysteine is the antidote, which reduces liver
injury by converting toxic metabolites to a nontoxic form.
What will the nurse teach the patient who is prescribed a fentanyl transdermal delivery
system? - ANSWER Answer:Change the patch every 72 hours.
The fentanyl transdermal delivery system is designed to slowly release analgesic over a
72-hour period. It should not be changed every time that pain recurs, every 24 hours, or
once a week.
A patient who has been taking morphine for pain is assessed by the nurse. The patient's
respiratory rate is 7 per minute, and pupils are 1 mm and unreactive. What is the nurse's
immediate action? - ANSWER Answer: Administer naloxone.
Morphine overdose can be indicated by unresponsive, pinpoint pupils and respiratory
depression. Rescue breathing, calling anesthesia, or calling a code will not correct the
underlying problem.
In monitoring a patient for adverse effects related to morphine sulfate, which is a
priority assessment? - ANSWER Answer: Assess for nausea and vomiting.
Morphine sulfate can cause nausea and vomiting by stimulating the vomiting center in
the brain.
Which assessment is most important for the nurse to monitor in a patient receiving an
opioid analgesic? - ANSWER Answer: Respiratory rate
