RN PHARMACOLOGY VATI RE EVALUATION
2026 CERTIFICATION EVALUATION TEST PAPER
QUESTIONS SOLUTIONS GRADED A PLUS
◉ A nurse is assessing a client who has a prescription for oral
albuterol for the long-term management of asthma. For which of the
following adverse effects should the nurse monitor?
a. Nystagmus
b. Tachycardia
c. Drowsiness
d. Oral fungal infections
Answer: b. Tachycardia
Albuterol is a beta2-agonist, which can cause excessive stimulation
of cardiac and skeletal muscle beta cells. Therefore, the nurse should
monitor the client for tachycardia and dysrhythmias.
◉ A nurse is planning care for a client who has asthma and a
prescription for methylprednisolone. Which of the following lab
values should the nurse monitor?
a. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
b. Fibrin split products
c. BUN
,d. Glucose
Answer: d. Glucose
Methylprednisolone therapy increases the synthesis of glucose and
decreases the uptake of glucose by the muscles and adipose tissues,
resulting in increased circulating glucose. Therefore, it is important
for the nurse to regularly monitor blood glucose levels while clients
are receiving corticosteroid therapy.
◉ A nurse planning care for a client who has a prescription for
acetazolamide. Which of the following findings should the nurse
plan to monitor for as an adverse effect of this medication?
a. Bronchospasm
b. Constipation
c. Diplopia
d. Electrolyte imbalance
Answer: d. Electrolyte imbalance
Acetazolamide promotes renal excretion of sodium and potassium
and reduces the formation of bicarbonate, increasing the client's risk
of electrolyte and acid-base imbalances. Therefore, the nurse should
monitor the client for findings of electrolyte imbalance.
,◉ A nurse is caring for a client who reports an increase in migraine
headaches over the past 2 weeks and asks if sumatriptan might be
helpful. Which of the following conditions from the client's medical
history should the nurse recognize as a contraindication for this
medication?
a. Gastrointestinal reflux
b. Angina pectoris
c. Routine acetylsalicylic acid use
d. Eczema
Answer: b. Angina pectoris
Sumatriptan is a vasoconstrictor and can cause angina from
coronary vasospasm. The nurse should identify uncontrolled
hypertension, coronary artery disease, ischemic heart disease, and
angina pectoris as contraindications for receiving sumatriptan.
◉ A nurse on a telemetry unit is caring for a client who has a new
prescription for digoxin. The nurse should identify that which of the
following cardiac rhythms is a contraindication for administration of
the medication?
a. Atrial flutter
b. Second-degree heart block
c. Atrial fibrillation
d. Narrow QRS complexes
, Answer: b. Second-degree heart block
A second-degree heart block results when there is a problem in the
atrioventricular conduction system. Each atrial impulse takes
progressively longer to go from the AV node to the ventricles until a
QRS complex drops. Digoxin slows atrioventricular conduction and
can cause progression to a complete heart block; therefore, the
nurse should identify second-degree heart block as a
contraindication for digoxin therapy.
◉ A nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative following
orthopedic surgery and receiving IV ketorolac. Which of the
following findings should the nurse identify as the priority to report
to the provider?
a. Dry mouth
b. Oliguria
c. Nausea
d. Altered taste
Answer: b. Oliguria
The nurse should identify that the greatest risk to the client is renal
insufficiency or renal toxicity, both of which are potential adverse
effects of ketorolac. Therefore, oliguria, or decreased urine output, is
the priority finding for the nurse to report to the provider.
2026 CERTIFICATION EVALUATION TEST PAPER
QUESTIONS SOLUTIONS GRADED A PLUS
◉ A nurse is assessing a client who has a prescription for oral
albuterol for the long-term management of asthma. For which of the
following adverse effects should the nurse monitor?
a. Nystagmus
b. Tachycardia
c. Drowsiness
d. Oral fungal infections
Answer: b. Tachycardia
Albuterol is a beta2-agonist, which can cause excessive stimulation
of cardiac and skeletal muscle beta cells. Therefore, the nurse should
monitor the client for tachycardia and dysrhythmias.
◉ A nurse is planning care for a client who has asthma and a
prescription for methylprednisolone. Which of the following lab
values should the nurse monitor?
a. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
b. Fibrin split products
c. BUN
,d. Glucose
Answer: d. Glucose
Methylprednisolone therapy increases the synthesis of glucose and
decreases the uptake of glucose by the muscles and adipose tissues,
resulting in increased circulating glucose. Therefore, it is important
for the nurse to regularly monitor blood glucose levels while clients
are receiving corticosteroid therapy.
◉ A nurse planning care for a client who has a prescription for
acetazolamide. Which of the following findings should the nurse
plan to monitor for as an adverse effect of this medication?
a. Bronchospasm
b. Constipation
c. Diplopia
d. Electrolyte imbalance
Answer: d. Electrolyte imbalance
Acetazolamide promotes renal excretion of sodium and potassium
and reduces the formation of bicarbonate, increasing the client's risk
of electrolyte and acid-base imbalances. Therefore, the nurse should
monitor the client for findings of electrolyte imbalance.
,◉ A nurse is caring for a client who reports an increase in migraine
headaches over the past 2 weeks and asks if sumatriptan might be
helpful. Which of the following conditions from the client's medical
history should the nurse recognize as a contraindication for this
medication?
a. Gastrointestinal reflux
b. Angina pectoris
c. Routine acetylsalicylic acid use
d. Eczema
Answer: b. Angina pectoris
Sumatriptan is a vasoconstrictor and can cause angina from
coronary vasospasm. The nurse should identify uncontrolled
hypertension, coronary artery disease, ischemic heart disease, and
angina pectoris as contraindications for receiving sumatriptan.
◉ A nurse on a telemetry unit is caring for a client who has a new
prescription for digoxin. The nurse should identify that which of the
following cardiac rhythms is a contraindication for administration of
the medication?
a. Atrial flutter
b. Second-degree heart block
c. Atrial fibrillation
d. Narrow QRS complexes
, Answer: b. Second-degree heart block
A second-degree heart block results when there is a problem in the
atrioventricular conduction system. Each atrial impulse takes
progressively longer to go from the AV node to the ventricles until a
QRS complex drops. Digoxin slows atrioventricular conduction and
can cause progression to a complete heart block; therefore, the
nurse should identify second-degree heart block as a
contraindication for digoxin therapy.
◉ A nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative following
orthopedic surgery and receiving IV ketorolac. Which of the
following findings should the nurse identify as the priority to report
to the provider?
a. Dry mouth
b. Oliguria
c. Nausea
d. Altered taste
Answer: b. Oliguria
The nurse should identify that the greatest risk to the client is renal
insufficiency or renal toxicity, both of which are potential adverse
effects of ketorolac. Therefore, oliguria, or decreased urine output, is
the priority finding for the nurse to report to the provider.
