ATI Pharmacology Proctored Exam
Questions and Verified Answers
Question 1
A nurse is caring for a client who is in labor and receiving IV Opioid analgesics. Which
of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Instruct the client to self‑ambulate every 2 hr.
B. Offer oral hygiene every 2 hr.
C. Anticipate medication administration 2 hr prior to delivery.
D. Monitor fetal heart rate every 2 hr
Correct Answer
B (Oral hygiene should be offered on a regular basis to a client receiving opioid
analgesics due to the adverse effects of dry mouth, nausea, and vomiting)
Question 2
A nurse is caring for a client who has a new prescription for Calcitonin‑salmon for
Osteoporosis. Which of the following tests should the nurse tell the client to expect
before beginning this medication?
A. Skin test for allergy to the medication
B. ECG to rule out cardiac dysrhythmias
C. Mantoux test to rule out exposure to tuberculosis
D. Liver function tests to assess risk for medication toxicity
Correct Answer
A (Anaphylaxis can occur if the client is allergic to calcitonin‑salmon. A skin test to
determine allergy might be done before starting this medication. The nurse also
should ask the client about previous allergies to fish)
Page 1 of 124
,Question 3
A nurse is assessing a client during transfusion of a unit of whole blood. The client
develops a cough, shortness of breath, elevated blood pressure, and distended neck
veins. The nurse should anticipate a prescription for which of the following
medications?
A. Epinephrine
B. Lorazepam
C. Furosemide
D. Diphenhydramine
Correct Answer
C (Furosemide, a loop diuretic, may be prescribed to relieve manifestations of
circulatory overload)
Question 4
A nurse is explaining the mechanism of action of combination oral contraceptives to a
group of clients. The nurse should tell the clients that which of the following actions
occur with the use of combination oral contraceptives? (Select all that apply.)
A.Thickening the cervical mucus
B.Inducing maturation of ovarian follicle
C.Increasing development of the corpus luteum
D.Altering the endometrial lining
E.Inhibiting ovulation
Correct Answer
a, d, e,
(A. Oral contraceptives cause thickening of the cervical mucus, which slows sperm
passage
D. Oral contraceptives alter the lining of the endometrium, which inhibits
implantation of the fertilized egg.
E. Oral contraceptives prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation.)
Page 2 of 124
,Question 5
A staff educator is reviewing medication dosages and factors that influence
medication metabolism with a group of nurses at an in-service presentation. Which of
the following factors should the educator include as a reason to administer lower
medication dosages? (Select all that apply.)
A. Increased renal secretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes
Correct Answer
C. Liver failure
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes
C. Liver failure decreases metabolism and thus increases the concentration of a
medication. This requires decreasing the dosage.
E. When the same pathway metabolizes two medications, they compete for
metabolism, thereby increasing the concentration of one or both medications. This
requires decreasing the dosage of one or both
Page 3 of 124
, Question 6
A nurse is admitting a client and completing a preassessment before administering
medications. Which of the following data should the nurse include in the
preassessment? (Select all that apply.)
A. Use of herbal teas
B. Daily fluid intake
C. Current health status
D. Previous surgical history
E. Food allergies
Correct Answer
A. Use of herbal teas
C. Current health status
E. Food allergies
(A. The nurse should inquire about the client's use of herbal products, which often
contain caffeine, prior to medication administration because caffeine can affect
medication biotransformation
C. The nurse should review the client's current health status because new
prescriptions can cause alterations in current health status
E. The nurse should inquire about food allergies during the preassessment to
identify any potential reactions or interactions)
Question 7
A nurse is caring for a client who has a new prescription for Captopril for
hypertension. The nurse should monitor the client for which of the following adverse
effects of this medication?
A. Hypokalemia
B. Hypernatremia
C. Neutropenia
D. Bradycardia
Correct Answer
C (Neutropenia is a serious adverse effect that can occur in clients taking an ACE
inhibitor. The nurse should monitor the client's CBC and teach the client to report
indications of infection to the provider.)
Page 4 of 124
Questions and Verified Answers
Question 1
A nurse is caring for a client who is in labor and receiving IV Opioid analgesics. Which
of the following actions should the nurse take?
A. Instruct the client to self‑ambulate every 2 hr.
B. Offer oral hygiene every 2 hr.
C. Anticipate medication administration 2 hr prior to delivery.
D. Monitor fetal heart rate every 2 hr
Correct Answer
B (Oral hygiene should be offered on a regular basis to a client receiving opioid
analgesics due to the adverse effects of dry mouth, nausea, and vomiting)
Question 2
A nurse is caring for a client who has a new prescription for Calcitonin‑salmon for
Osteoporosis. Which of the following tests should the nurse tell the client to expect
before beginning this medication?
A. Skin test for allergy to the medication
B. ECG to rule out cardiac dysrhythmias
C. Mantoux test to rule out exposure to tuberculosis
D. Liver function tests to assess risk for medication toxicity
Correct Answer
A (Anaphylaxis can occur if the client is allergic to calcitonin‑salmon. A skin test to
determine allergy might be done before starting this medication. The nurse also
should ask the client about previous allergies to fish)
Page 1 of 124
,Question 3
A nurse is assessing a client during transfusion of a unit of whole blood. The client
develops a cough, shortness of breath, elevated blood pressure, and distended neck
veins. The nurse should anticipate a prescription for which of the following
medications?
A. Epinephrine
B. Lorazepam
C. Furosemide
D. Diphenhydramine
Correct Answer
C (Furosemide, a loop diuretic, may be prescribed to relieve manifestations of
circulatory overload)
Question 4
A nurse is explaining the mechanism of action of combination oral contraceptives to a
group of clients. The nurse should tell the clients that which of the following actions
occur with the use of combination oral contraceptives? (Select all that apply.)
A.Thickening the cervical mucus
B.Inducing maturation of ovarian follicle
C.Increasing development of the corpus luteum
D.Altering the endometrial lining
E.Inhibiting ovulation
Correct Answer
a, d, e,
(A. Oral contraceptives cause thickening of the cervical mucus, which slows sperm
passage
D. Oral contraceptives alter the lining of the endometrium, which inhibits
implantation of the fertilized egg.
E. Oral contraceptives prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation.)
Page 2 of 124
,Question 5
A staff educator is reviewing medication dosages and factors that influence
medication metabolism with a group of nurses at an in-service presentation. Which of
the following factors should the educator include as a reason to administer lower
medication dosages? (Select all that apply.)
A. Increased renal secretion
B. Increased medication-metabolizing enzymes
C. Liver failure
D. Peripheral vascular disease
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes
Correct Answer
C. Liver failure
E. Concurrent use of medication the same pathway metabolizes
C. Liver failure decreases metabolism and thus increases the concentration of a
medication. This requires decreasing the dosage.
E. When the same pathway metabolizes two medications, they compete for
metabolism, thereby increasing the concentration of one or both medications. This
requires decreasing the dosage of one or both
Page 3 of 124
, Question 6
A nurse is admitting a client and completing a preassessment before administering
medications. Which of the following data should the nurse include in the
preassessment? (Select all that apply.)
A. Use of herbal teas
B. Daily fluid intake
C. Current health status
D. Previous surgical history
E. Food allergies
Correct Answer
A. Use of herbal teas
C. Current health status
E. Food allergies
(A. The nurse should inquire about the client's use of herbal products, which often
contain caffeine, prior to medication administration because caffeine can affect
medication biotransformation
C. The nurse should review the client's current health status because new
prescriptions can cause alterations in current health status
E. The nurse should inquire about food allergies during the preassessment to
identify any potential reactions or interactions)
Question 7
A nurse is caring for a client who has a new prescription for Captopril for
hypertension. The nurse should monitor the client for which of the following adverse
effects of this medication?
A. Hypokalemia
B. Hypernatremia
C. Neutropenia
D. Bradycardia
Correct Answer
C (Neutropenia is a serious adverse effect that can occur in clients taking an ACE
inhibitor. The nurse should monitor the client's CBC and teach the client to report
indications of infection to the provider.)
Page 4 of 124
