ATI RN PHARMACOLOGY PROCTORED EXAM
1. A nurse in a provider's office is instructing a parent of a toddler how to
administer ear drops. Which of the following instructions should the nurse
include? (Select all that apply.)
A. "Place the child on his unaffected side when you
are ready to administer the medication."
B. "Warm the medication by gently rolling it between your hands for a few
minutes."
C. "Gently shake medication that is in suspension form."
D. "keep the child on his side for 5 minutes after instillation of the ear drops."
E. "Tightly pack the ear with cotton after instillation of the ear drops.
a, b, c, d
(A. The parent should have the child on his
unaffected side to allow access to the affected ear and to promote drainage
of the medication by gravity into the ear.
B. The parent should warm the medication
by rolling it between his hands. Administering
the medication cold can cause dizziness.
C. The parent should gently shake medication that is in suspension form to
evenly- disperse the medication.
D. The parent should keep the child on his side to
promote drainage of the medication by gravity into the ear)
2. A nurse in the post-anesthesia care unit is caring for a client who is
experiencing malignant hyperthermia. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take? (Select all that apply.)
A. Place a cooling blanket on the client.
B. Administer oxygen at 100%.
C. Administer iced 0.9% sodium chloride.
D. Administer potassium chloride IV.
E. Monitor core body temperature
,a, b, c, e
(A. The nurse should apply a cooling blanket and apply ice to the axilla and
groin.
B. The nurse should administer oxygen at 100% to treat decreased oxygen
saturation.
C. The nurse should take action to decrease the
client's body temperature by administering iced IV fluids.
E. The nurse should monitor core body temperature to prevent hypothermia
and to
determine progress with treatment measures)
3. A nurse is teaching a client who has a new prescription for Baclofen to
treat muscle spasms. Which of the following statements by the client
indicates an understanding of the teaching? (Select all that apply.)
A. "I will stop taking this medication right away if I develop dizziness."
B. "I know the doctor will gradually increase my dose of this medication for a
while."
C. "I should increase fiber to prevent constipation from this medication."
D. "I won't be able to drink alcohol while I'm taking this medication."
E. "I should take this medication on an empty stomach each morning."
b, c, d
(B. The provider starts the client on a low dose, and
the dose is increased gradually to prevent CNS depression.
C. The client should increase fluids and fiber to reduce the risk for
constipation.
D. The intake of alcohol and other CNS depressants can exacerbate the CNS
depressant effects of baclofen. Therefore, the client is instructed to avoid
CNS depressants while taking baclofen)
,4. A provider prescribes phenobarbital for a client who has a seizure disorder.
The medication has a long half-life of 4 days. How many times per day
should the nurse expect to administer this medication?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
A. One
(Medications with long half-lives remain at their therapeutic levels between
doses for long periods of time. The nurse should expect to administer this
medication once a day.)
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
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
6. A nurse is reviewing the health care record of a client who reports urinary
incontinence and asks about a prescription for Oxybutynin. The nurse should
recognize that Oxybutynin is contraindicated in the presence of which of the
following conditions?
, A. Bursitis
B. Sinusitis
C. Depression
D. Glaucoma
D (Oxybutynin is an anticholinergic and can increase intraocular pressure. It
is contraindicated for clients who have glaucoma)
7. A nurse is preparing to administer eye drops to a client. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take? (Select all that apply.)
A. Have the client lie on her side.
B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
C. Tell the client to blink when the drops enter her eye.
D. Drop the medication into the center of the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close her eye gently after instillation
B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
D. Drop the medication into the center of the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close her eye gently after instillation
(B. The client should look upward to keep the drops from falling onto her
cornea.
D. The nurse should drop the medication into the
center of the conjunctival sac to promote distribution.
E. The client should close her eye gently to promote distribution of the
medication)
8. A nurse is completing discharge teaching for a client who has a new
prescription for transdermal patches. Which of the following statements
should the nurse identify as an indication that the client understands the
instructions?
A. "I will clean the site with an alcohol swab before I apply the patch."
B. "I will rotate the application sites weekly."
C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no hair."
D. "I will place the new patch on the site of the old patch.
C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no hair."
1. A nurse in a provider's office is instructing a parent of a toddler how to
administer ear drops. Which of the following instructions should the nurse
include? (Select all that apply.)
A. "Place the child on his unaffected side when you
are ready to administer the medication."
B. "Warm the medication by gently rolling it between your hands for a few
minutes."
C. "Gently shake medication that is in suspension form."
D. "keep the child on his side for 5 minutes after instillation of the ear drops."
E. "Tightly pack the ear with cotton after instillation of the ear drops.
a, b, c, d
(A. The parent should have the child on his
unaffected side to allow access to the affected ear and to promote drainage
of the medication by gravity into the ear.
B. The parent should warm the medication
by rolling it between his hands. Administering
the medication cold can cause dizziness.
C. The parent should gently shake medication that is in suspension form to
evenly- disperse the medication.
D. The parent should keep the child on his side to
promote drainage of the medication by gravity into the ear)
2. A nurse in the post-anesthesia care unit is caring for a client who is
experiencing malignant hyperthermia. Which of the following actions should
the nurse take? (Select all that apply.)
A. Place a cooling blanket on the client.
B. Administer oxygen at 100%.
C. Administer iced 0.9% sodium chloride.
D. Administer potassium chloride IV.
E. Monitor core body temperature
,a, b, c, e
(A. The nurse should apply a cooling blanket and apply ice to the axilla and
groin.
B. The nurse should administer oxygen at 100% to treat decreased oxygen
saturation.
C. The nurse should take action to decrease the
client's body temperature by administering iced IV fluids.
E. The nurse should monitor core body temperature to prevent hypothermia
and to
determine progress with treatment measures)
3. A nurse is teaching a client who has a new prescription for Baclofen to
treat muscle spasms. Which of the following statements by the client
indicates an understanding of the teaching? (Select all that apply.)
A. "I will stop taking this medication right away if I develop dizziness."
B. "I know the doctor will gradually increase my dose of this medication for a
while."
C. "I should increase fiber to prevent constipation from this medication."
D. "I won't be able to drink alcohol while I'm taking this medication."
E. "I should take this medication on an empty stomach each morning."
b, c, d
(B. The provider starts the client on a low dose, and
the dose is increased gradually to prevent CNS depression.
C. The client should increase fluids and fiber to reduce the risk for
constipation.
D. The intake of alcohol and other CNS depressants can exacerbate the CNS
depressant effects of baclofen. Therefore, the client is instructed to avoid
CNS depressants while taking baclofen)
,4. A provider prescribes phenobarbital for a client who has a seizure disorder.
The medication has a long half-life of 4 days. How many times per day
should the nurse expect to administer this medication?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
A. One
(Medications with long half-lives remain at their therapeutic levels between
doses for long periods of time. The nurse should expect to administer this
medication once a day.)
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
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
6. A nurse is reviewing the health care record of a client who reports urinary
incontinence and asks about a prescription for Oxybutynin. The nurse should
recognize that Oxybutynin is contraindicated in the presence of which of the
following conditions?
, A. Bursitis
B. Sinusitis
C. Depression
D. Glaucoma
D (Oxybutynin is an anticholinergic and can increase intraocular pressure. It
is contraindicated for clients who have glaucoma)
7. A nurse is preparing to administer eye drops to a client. Which of the
following actions should the nurse take? (Select all that apply.)
A. Have the client lie on her side.
B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
C. Tell the client to blink when the drops enter her eye.
D. Drop the medication into the center of the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close her eye gently after instillation
B. Ask the client to look up at the ceiling.
D. Drop the medication into the center of the client's conjunctival sac.
E. Instruct the client to close her eye gently after instillation
(B. The client should look upward to keep the drops from falling onto her
cornea.
D. The nurse should drop the medication into the
center of the conjunctival sac to promote distribution.
E. The client should close her eye gently to promote distribution of the
medication)
8. A nurse is completing discharge teaching for a client who has a new
prescription for transdermal patches. Which of the following statements
should the nurse identify as an indication that the client understands the
instructions?
A. "I will clean the site with an alcohol swab before I apply the patch."
B. "I will rotate the application sites weekly."
C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no hair."
D. "I will place the new patch on the site of the old patch.
C. "I will apply the patch to an area of skin with no hair."
