Comprehensive Pharmacology I Final
Exam Review for Nursing Students
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
(LATEST)
Pharmacology - Answer--Study of biological effects of chemicals
Pharmacotherapeutics (Clinical Pharmacology) - Answer--Focus on how drugs are
used to treat disease
Prototype Drug - Answer--Original drug from which similar drugs are derived
Nursing Responsibilities - Answer--Administering medications safely, assessing drug
effects, intervening to make drug regimens more tolerable, providing patient teaching
about medications, monitoring overall care plan to prevent medication errors
Natural Sources of Drugs - Answer--Plants (digoxin from foxglove, morphine from
poppy), animal products (insulin, heparin - now mostly synthetic), inorganic
compounds (salts such as magnesium, iron)
Synthetic Sources of Drugs - Answer--Genetic engineering, laboratory synthesis
Preclinical Trials - Answer--In vitro and in vivo (animal) testing
Phase I - Answer--Testing on healthy human volunteers
Phase II - Answer--Testing on informed patients with the disease
Phase III - Answer--Large-scale testing on broader population
FDA Approval - Answer--Drug may be marketed if approved
Phase IV - Answer--Continual evaluation after market release
Pregnancy Safety Categories - Answer--Category A: No risk demonstrated in
pregnancy, Category B: Animal studies show no risk, but no adequate human
studies, Category C: Risk cannot be ruled out; benefits may outweigh risks, Category
D: Evidence of fetal risk, but benefits may be acceptable, Category X:
Contraindicated in pregnancy - risk outweighs any benefit
,DEA Controlled Substance Schedules - Answer--Schedule I: High abuse potential,
no accepted medical use (heroin, LSD), Schedule II: High abuse potential, severe
dependence (narcotics, amphetamines), Schedule III: Moderate abuse potential,
moderate dependence, Schedule IV: Lower abuse potential, limited dependence,
Schedule V: Limited abuse potential (codeine antitussives)
Generic Drugs - Answer--Produced after patent expires, must have same strength,
dosage form, and route
Orphan Drugs - Answer--Drugs for rare diseases with financial incentives (Orphan
Drug Act of 1983)
OTC Drugs - Answer--Available without prescription but can mask symptoms, cause
interactions
Assessment in Nursing Process - Answer--Physical exam, history, patient
age/weight/height, medication indication, social history
Planning in Nursing Process - Answer--Prioritize information and set measurable
goals
Interventions in Nursing Process - Answer--Proper drug administration and
medication education
Evaluation in Nursing Process - Answer--Assess if interventions worked and adjust
as needed
Just and Safe Culture - Answer--ANA encourages reporting drug errors to improve
systems
Root Cause Analysis - Answer--Investigation to identify underlying causes of errors
Sentinel Event - Answer--Unexpected occurrence involving death or serious injury
Medication Administration Errors (MAEs) - Answer--Any failure in one or more of the
five rights
Five Rights of Medication Administration - Answer--Right Patient, Right Drug, Right
Dose, Right Time, Right Route
High-Alert Medications - Answer--Can cause significant harm if given in error
, Look-Alike, Sound-Alike Drugs - Answer--Examples include Ephedrine -
Epinephrine, Diazepam - Diltiazem
Health Literacy - Answer--Ability to understand, access, evaluate, and use health
information
Complementary and Alternative Therapies - Answer--Include botanicals, nutritional
products, herbal supplements
Chemotherapeutic Drugs - Answer--Used to destroy invading organisms and
abnormal cells
Bactericidal - Answer--Kills bacteria directly
Bacteriostatic - Answer--Inhibits growth/reproduction, relies on immune system
Immunocompromised Patients - Answer--At higher risk for infections when taking
anti-infectives: Elderly and infants, Transplant recipients, Patients on
immunosuppressants, Cancer or blood disorders, HIV/AIDS, Malnourished patients,
Pregnant women
Development of Resistance - Answer--Microorganisms develop resistance by:
Producing enzymes that deactivate the drug (e.g., penicillinase), Preventing drug
entry into the cell, Altering binding sites, Producing chemical antagonists to the drug
Preventing Resistance - Answer--Use around-the-clock dosing (every 8 hours, not
TID), Do NOT use antibiotics for viral infections, Take full course as prescribed,
Ensure doses are high enough and long enough, Use narrow-spectrum when
possible
Treatment of Systemic Infections - Answer--Step 1: Identification via culture (blood,
urine, wound, etc.), Step 2: Sensitivity testing (may start broad-spectrum first, then
switch), Step 3: Consider combination therapy
Common Adverse Effects - Answer--Kidney Damage: Many metabolized in kidneys -
ensure adequate hydration, GI Toxicity: N/V, stomach upset, diarrhea, Liver Toxicity:
Can lead to hepatitis or liver failure, Neurotoxicity: Aminoglycosides collect in 8th
cranial nerve (dizziness, hearing loss)
Bacterial Classification - Shape - Answer--Bacillus (rod-shaped) or Cocci (spherical)
Bacterial Classification - Gram Staining - Answer--Gram-positive: Thick cell wall,
retains purple stain; Gram-negative: Thin cell wall, appears pink/red
Exam Review for Nursing Students
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
(LATEST)
Pharmacology - Answer--Study of biological effects of chemicals
Pharmacotherapeutics (Clinical Pharmacology) - Answer--Focus on how drugs are
used to treat disease
Prototype Drug - Answer--Original drug from which similar drugs are derived
Nursing Responsibilities - Answer--Administering medications safely, assessing drug
effects, intervening to make drug regimens more tolerable, providing patient teaching
about medications, monitoring overall care plan to prevent medication errors
Natural Sources of Drugs - Answer--Plants (digoxin from foxglove, morphine from
poppy), animal products (insulin, heparin - now mostly synthetic), inorganic
compounds (salts such as magnesium, iron)
Synthetic Sources of Drugs - Answer--Genetic engineering, laboratory synthesis
Preclinical Trials - Answer--In vitro and in vivo (animal) testing
Phase I - Answer--Testing on healthy human volunteers
Phase II - Answer--Testing on informed patients with the disease
Phase III - Answer--Large-scale testing on broader population
FDA Approval - Answer--Drug may be marketed if approved
Phase IV - Answer--Continual evaluation after market release
Pregnancy Safety Categories - Answer--Category A: No risk demonstrated in
pregnancy, Category B: Animal studies show no risk, but no adequate human
studies, Category C: Risk cannot be ruled out; benefits may outweigh risks, Category
D: Evidence of fetal risk, but benefits may be acceptable, Category X:
Contraindicated in pregnancy - risk outweighs any benefit
,DEA Controlled Substance Schedules - Answer--Schedule I: High abuse potential,
no accepted medical use (heroin, LSD), Schedule II: High abuse potential, severe
dependence (narcotics, amphetamines), Schedule III: Moderate abuse potential,
moderate dependence, Schedule IV: Lower abuse potential, limited dependence,
Schedule V: Limited abuse potential (codeine antitussives)
Generic Drugs - Answer--Produced after patent expires, must have same strength,
dosage form, and route
Orphan Drugs - Answer--Drugs for rare diseases with financial incentives (Orphan
Drug Act of 1983)
OTC Drugs - Answer--Available without prescription but can mask symptoms, cause
interactions
Assessment in Nursing Process - Answer--Physical exam, history, patient
age/weight/height, medication indication, social history
Planning in Nursing Process - Answer--Prioritize information and set measurable
goals
Interventions in Nursing Process - Answer--Proper drug administration and
medication education
Evaluation in Nursing Process - Answer--Assess if interventions worked and adjust
as needed
Just and Safe Culture - Answer--ANA encourages reporting drug errors to improve
systems
Root Cause Analysis - Answer--Investigation to identify underlying causes of errors
Sentinel Event - Answer--Unexpected occurrence involving death or serious injury
Medication Administration Errors (MAEs) - Answer--Any failure in one or more of the
five rights
Five Rights of Medication Administration - Answer--Right Patient, Right Drug, Right
Dose, Right Time, Right Route
High-Alert Medications - Answer--Can cause significant harm if given in error
, Look-Alike, Sound-Alike Drugs - Answer--Examples include Ephedrine -
Epinephrine, Diazepam - Diltiazem
Health Literacy - Answer--Ability to understand, access, evaluate, and use health
information
Complementary and Alternative Therapies - Answer--Include botanicals, nutritional
products, herbal supplements
Chemotherapeutic Drugs - Answer--Used to destroy invading organisms and
abnormal cells
Bactericidal - Answer--Kills bacteria directly
Bacteriostatic - Answer--Inhibits growth/reproduction, relies on immune system
Immunocompromised Patients - Answer--At higher risk for infections when taking
anti-infectives: Elderly and infants, Transplant recipients, Patients on
immunosuppressants, Cancer or blood disorders, HIV/AIDS, Malnourished patients,
Pregnant women
Development of Resistance - Answer--Microorganisms develop resistance by:
Producing enzymes that deactivate the drug (e.g., penicillinase), Preventing drug
entry into the cell, Altering binding sites, Producing chemical antagonists to the drug
Preventing Resistance - Answer--Use around-the-clock dosing (every 8 hours, not
TID), Do NOT use antibiotics for viral infections, Take full course as prescribed,
Ensure doses are high enough and long enough, Use narrow-spectrum when
possible
Treatment of Systemic Infections - Answer--Step 1: Identification via culture (blood,
urine, wound, etc.), Step 2: Sensitivity testing (may start broad-spectrum first, then
switch), Step 3: Consider combination therapy
Common Adverse Effects - Answer--Kidney Damage: Many metabolized in kidneys -
ensure adequate hydration, GI Toxicity: N/V, stomach upset, diarrhea, Liver Toxicity:
Can lead to hepatitis or liver failure, Neurotoxicity: Aminoglycosides collect in 8th
cranial nerve (dizziness, hearing loss)
Bacterial Classification - Shape - Answer--Bacillus (rod-shaped) or Cocci (spherical)
Bacterial Classification - Gram Staining - Answer--Gram-positive: Thick cell wall,
retains purple stain; Gram-negative: Thin cell wall, appears pink/red
