Pharmacology NCLEX Questions
An 86-year-old patient is being discharged to home on digitalis therapy and has very
little information regarding the medication. Which statement best reflects a realistic
outcome of patient teaching activities?
a. The patient and patient's daughter will state the proper way to take the drug.
b. The nurse will provide teaching about the drug's adverse effects.
c. The patient will state all the symptoms of digitalis toxicity.
d. The patient will call the prescriber if adverse effects occur. - Question and answersa.
The patient and patient's daughter will state the proper way to take the drug.
A patient has a new prescription for a blood pressure medication that may cause him to
feel dizzy during the first few days of therapy. Which is the best nursing diagnosis for
this situation?
a. Activity intolerance
b. Risk for injury
c. Disturbed body image
d. Self-care deficit - Question and answersb. Risk for injury
A patient's chart includes an order that reads as follows: "Lanoxin 250 mcg once daily at
0900." Which action by the nurse is correct?
a. The nurse gives the drug via the transdermal route.
b. The nurse gives the drug orally.
c. The nurse gives the drug intravenously.
d. The nurse contacts the prescriber to clarify the dosage route. - Question and
answersd. The nurse contacts the prescriber to clarify the dosage route.
A 77-year-old man who has been diagnosed with an upper respiratory tract infection
tells the nurse that he is allergic to penicillin. Which is the most appropriate response by
the nurse?
a. "that's to be expected--lots of people are allergic to penicillin."
b. "This allergy is not of major concern because the drug is given so commonly."
c. "What type of reaction did you have when you took penicillin?"
d. "Drug allergies don't usually occur in older individuals because they have built up
resistance." - Question and answersc. "What type of reaction did you have when you
took penicillin?"
The nurse is compiling a drug history for a patient. Which question from the nurse will
obtain the most information from the patient?
a. "Do you depend on sleeping pills to get to sleep?"
, b. "Do you have a family history of heart disease?"
c. "When you have pain, what do you do to relieve it?"
d. "What childhood diseases did you have?" - Question and answersc. "When you have
pain, what do you do to relieve it?"
The nurse is preparing a care plan for a patient who has been newly diagnosed with
type 2 diabetes mellitus. Put into correct order the steps of the nursing process, with 1
being the first step and 5 being the last step.
a. Implementation
b. Planning
c. Assessment
d. Evaluation
e. Nursing diagnoses - Question and answers4, 3, 1, 5, 2
The nurse is reviewing new medication orders that have been written for a newly
admitted patient. The nurse will need to clarify which orders? Select all that apply.
a. Metformin (Glucophage) 1000 mg PO twice a day
b. Sitagliptin (Januvia) 50 mg daily
c. Simvastatin (Zocor) 20 mg PO every evening
d. Irbesartan (Avapro) 300 mg PO once a day
e. Docusate (Colace) as needed for constipation - Question and answersb. Sitagliptin
(Januvia) 50 mg daily
e. Docusate (Colace) as needed for constipation
An elderly woman took a prescription medicine to help her to sleep; however, she felt
restless all night and did not sleep at all. The nurse recognizes that this woman has
experienced which type of reaction or effect?
a. Allergic reaction
b. Idiosyncratic reaction
c. Mutagenic effect
d. Synergistic effect - Question and answersb. Idiosyncratic reaction
While caring for a patient with cirrhosis or hepatitis, the nurse knows that abnormalities
in which phase of pharmacokinetics may occur?
a. Absorption
b. Distribution
c. Metabolism
d. Excretion - Question and answersc. Metabolism
A patient who has advanced cancer is receiving opioid medications around the clock to
"keep him comfortable" as he nears the end of his life. Which term best describes this
type of therapy?
An 86-year-old patient is being discharged to home on digitalis therapy and has very
little information regarding the medication. Which statement best reflects a realistic
outcome of patient teaching activities?
a. The patient and patient's daughter will state the proper way to take the drug.
b. The nurse will provide teaching about the drug's adverse effects.
c. The patient will state all the symptoms of digitalis toxicity.
d. The patient will call the prescriber if adverse effects occur. - Question and answersa.
The patient and patient's daughter will state the proper way to take the drug.
A patient has a new prescription for a blood pressure medication that may cause him to
feel dizzy during the first few days of therapy. Which is the best nursing diagnosis for
this situation?
a. Activity intolerance
b. Risk for injury
c. Disturbed body image
d. Self-care deficit - Question and answersb. Risk for injury
A patient's chart includes an order that reads as follows: "Lanoxin 250 mcg once daily at
0900." Which action by the nurse is correct?
a. The nurse gives the drug via the transdermal route.
b. The nurse gives the drug orally.
c. The nurse gives the drug intravenously.
d. The nurse contacts the prescriber to clarify the dosage route. - Question and
answersd. The nurse contacts the prescriber to clarify the dosage route.
A 77-year-old man who has been diagnosed with an upper respiratory tract infection
tells the nurse that he is allergic to penicillin. Which is the most appropriate response by
the nurse?
a. "that's to be expected--lots of people are allergic to penicillin."
b. "This allergy is not of major concern because the drug is given so commonly."
c. "What type of reaction did you have when you took penicillin?"
d. "Drug allergies don't usually occur in older individuals because they have built up
resistance." - Question and answersc. "What type of reaction did you have when you
took penicillin?"
The nurse is compiling a drug history for a patient. Which question from the nurse will
obtain the most information from the patient?
a. "Do you depend on sleeping pills to get to sleep?"
, b. "Do you have a family history of heart disease?"
c. "When you have pain, what do you do to relieve it?"
d. "What childhood diseases did you have?" - Question and answersc. "When you have
pain, what do you do to relieve it?"
The nurse is preparing a care plan for a patient who has been newly diagnosed with
type 2 diabetes mellitus. Put into correct order the steps of the nursing process, with 1
being the first step and 5 being the last step.
a. Implementation
b. Planning
c. Assessment
d. Evaluation
e. Nursing diagnoses - Question and answers4, 3, 1, 5, 2
The nurse is reviewing new medication orders that have been written for a newly
admitted patient. The nurse will need to clarify which orders? Select all that apply.
a. Metformin (Glucophage) 1000 mg PO twice a day
b. Sitagliptin (Januvia) 50 mg daily
c. Simvastatin (Zocor) 20 mg PO every evening
d. Irbesartan (Avapro) 300 mg PO once a day
e. Docusate (Colace) as needed for constipation - Question and answersb. Sitagliptin
(Januvia) 50 mg daily
e. Docusate (Colace) as needed for constipation
An elderly woman took a prescription medicine to help her to sleep; however, she felt
restless all night and did not sleep at all. The nurse recognizes that this woman has
experienced which type of reaction or effect?
a. Allergic reaction
b. Idiosyncratic reaction
c. Mutagenic effect
d. Synergistic effect - Question and answersb. Idiosyncratic reaction
While caring for a patient with cirrhosis or hepatitis, the nurse knows that abnormalities
in which phase of pharmacokinetics may occur?
a. Absorption
b. Distribution
c. Metabolism
d. Excretion - Question and answersc. Metabolism
A patient who has advanced cancer is receiving opioid medications around the clock to
"keep him comfortable" as he nears the end of his life. Which term best describes this
type of therapy?
