,Part 1 – Pharmacology Basics.....................................................................................................4
1. The Nursing Process and Drug Therapy.............................................................................4
2. Pharmacologic Principles....................................................................................................4
3. Lifespan Considerations......................................................................................................5
4. Cultural, Legal, and Ethical Considerations........................................................................5
5. Medication Errors: Preventing and Responding.................................................................6
6. Patient Education and Drug Therapy..................................................................................6
7. OTC Drugs and Herbal/Dietary Supplements.....................................................................7
8. Gene Therapy and Pharmacogenomics..............................................................................7
9. Photo Atlas of Drug Administration...................................................................................8
Part 2 – Drugs Affecting the Central Nervous System................................................................9
10. Analgesic Drugs................................................................................................................9
11. General and Local Anesthetics.......................................................................................10
12. Central Nervous System Depressants and Muscle Relaxants.........................................10
13. Central Nervous System Stimulants, Antimigraine Drugs, and Related Drugs...............11
14. Antiepileptic Drugs.........................................................................................................12
15. Antiparkinson Drugs.......................................................................................................12
16. Psychotherapeutic Drugs................................................................................................13
17. Substance Use Disorder..................................................................................................14
Part 3 – Drugs Affecting the Autonomic Nervous System........................................................15
18. Adrenergic Drugs............................................................................................................15
19. Adrenergic-Blocking Drugs.............................................................................................15
20. Cholinergic Drugs............................................................................................................16
21. Cholinergic-Blocking Drugs.............................................................................................16
Part 4 – Drugs Affecting the Cardiovascular and Renal Systems..............................................17
22. Antihypertensive Drugs..................................................................................................17
23. Antianginal Drugs...........................................................................................................17
24. Heart Failure Drugs.........................................................................................................18
25. Antidysrhythmic Drugs...................................................................................................18
26. Coagulation Modifier Drugs...........................................................................................19
27. Antilipemic Drugs...........................................................................................................19
, 28. Diuretic Drugs.................................................................................................................20
29. Fluids and Electrolytes....................................................................................................20
Part 5 – Drugs Affecting the Endocrine and Reproductive Systems.........................................21
30. Pituitary Drugs................................................................................................................21
31. Thyroid and Antithyroid Drugs.......................................................................................21
32. Diabetes Drugs...............................................................................................................22
33. Adrenal Drugs.................................................................................................................22
34. Women’s Health Drugs...................................................................................................23
35. Men’s Health Drugs........................................................................................................24
Part 6 – Drugs Affecting the Respiratory System......................................................................24
36. Antihistamines, Decongestants, Antitussives, and Expectorants...................................24
37. Respiratory Drugs...........................................................................................................25
Part 7 – Antiinfective and Antiinflammatory Drugs.................................................................25
38. Antibiotics Part 1............................................................................................................25
39. Antibiotics Part 2............................................................................................................25
40. Antiviral Drugs................................................................................................................26
41. Antitubercular Drugs......................................................................................................26
42. Antifungal Drugs.............................................................................................................27
43. Antimalarial, Antiprotozoal, and Anthelmintic Drugs....................................................27
44. Antiinflammatory and Antigout Drugs...........................................................................27
Part 8 – Chemotherapeutic Drugs and Biologic and Immune Modifiers.................................28
45. Antineoplastic Drugs Part 1: Cancer Overview and Cell Cycle–Specific Drugs...............28
46. Antineoplastic Drugs Part 2: Cell Cycle–Nonspecific and Miscellaneous Drugs............30
47. Biologic Response–Modifying and Antirheumatic Drugs...............................................31
48. Immunosuppressant Drugs............................................................................................32
49. Immunizing Drugs...........................................................................................................33
Part 9 – Drugs Affecting the Gastrointestinal System and Nutrition........................................33
50. Acid-Controlling Drugs....................................................................................................33
51. Bowel Disorder Drugs.....................................................................................................34
52. Antiemetic and Antinausea Drugs..................................................................................35
53. Vitamins and Minerals....................................................................................................35
54. Anemia Drugs.................................................................................................................36
, 55. Nutritional Supplements................................................................................................37
Part 10 – Dermatologic, Ophthalmic, and Otic Drugs..............................................................37
56. Dermatologic Drugs........................................................................................................37
57. Ophthalmic Drugs...........................................................................................................38
58. Otic Drugs.......................................................................................................................39
Practice Test 55 Q&A................................................................................................................41
Top 10 learning objectives........................................................................................................49
Top 20 core concepts explained book......................................................................................51
Part 1 – Pharmacology Basics
1. The Nursing Process and Drug Therapy
Safe drug therapy combines pharmacological knowledge with systematic clinical reasoning. Medication
decisions should follow:
Assessment → planning → administration → monitoring → evaluation
The nurse assesses indication, allergies, current medications, renal/hepatic function, laboratory values, age,
pregnancy status, and previous responses.
1. Assess the patient and medication history.
2. Identify therapeutic goals and risks.
3. Administer the correct drug, dose, route, and time.
4. Monitor therapeutic and adverse effects.
5. Evaluate whether treatment achieved its intended outcome.
Therapeutic effect: intended beneficial response.
Adverse effect: unintended and potentially harmful response.
2. Pharmacologic Principles
Two fundamental concepts are:
Pharmacokinetics (PK): what the body does to the drug.
Pharmacodynamics (PD): what the drug does to the body.
ADME
Absorption → Distribution → Metabolism → Excretion
Bioavailability (F) is the fraction of a dose reaching systemic circulation. IV administration has essentially
complete bioavailability.
Important pharmacokinetic concepts:
1. The Nursing Process and Drug Therapy.............................................................................4
2. Pharmacologic Principles....................................................................................................4
3. Lifespan Considerations......................................................................................................5
4. Cultural, Legal, and Ethical Considerations........................................................................5
5. Medication Errors: Preventing and Responding.................................................................6
6. Patient Education and Drug Therapy..................................................................................6
7. OTC Drugs and Herbal/Dietary Supplements.....................................................................7
8. Gene Therapy and Pharmacogenomics..............................................................................7
9. Photo Atlas of Drug Administration...................................................................................8
Part 2 – Drugs Affecting the Central Nervous System................................................................9
10. Analgesic Drugs................................................................................................................9
11. General and Local Anesthetics.......................................................................................10
12. Central Nervous System Depressants and Muscle Relaxants.........................................10
13. Central Nervous System Stimulants, Antimigraine Drugs, and Related Drugs...............11
14. Antiepileptic Drugs.........................................................................................................12
15. Antiparkinson Drugs.......................................................................................................12
16. Psychotherapeutic Drugs................................................................................................13
17. Substance Use Disorder..................................................................................................14
Part 3 – Drugs Affecting the Autonomic Nervous System........................................................15
18. Adrenergic Drugs............................................................................................................15
19. Adrenergic-Blocking Drugs.............................................................................................15
20. Cholinergic Drugs............................................................................................................16
21. Cholinergic-Blocking Drugs.............................................................................................16
Part 4 – Drugs Affecting the Cardiovascular and Renal Systems..............................................17
22. Antihypertensive Drugs..................................................................................................17
23. Antianginal Drugs...........................................................................................................17
24. Heart Failure Drugs.........................................................................................................18
25. Antidysrhythmic Drugs...................................................................................................18
26. Coagulation Modifier Drugs...........................................................................................19
27. Antilipemic Drugs...........................................................................................................19
, 28. Diuretic Drugs.................................................................................................................20
29. Fluids and Electrolytes....................................................................................................20
Part 5 – Drugs Affecting the Endocrine and Reproductive Systems.........................................21
30. Pituitary Drugs................................................................................................................21
31. Thyroid and Antithyroid Drugs.......................................................................................21
32. Diabetes Drugs...............................................................................................................22
33. Adrenal Drugs.................................................................................................................22
34. Women’s Health Drugs...................................................................................................23
35. Men’s Health Drugs........................................................................................................24
Part 6 – Drugs Affecting the Respiratory System......................................................................24
36. Antihistamines, Decongestants, Antitussives, and Expectorants...................................24
37. Respiratory Drugs...........................................................................................................25
Part 7 – Antiinfective and Antiinflammatory Drugs.................................................................25
38. Antibiotics Part 1............................................................................................................25
39. Antibiotics Part 2............................................................................................................25
40. Antiviral Drugs................................................................................................................26
41. Antitubercular Drugs......................................................................................................26
42. Antifungal Drugs.............................................................................................................27
43. Antimalarial, Antiprotozoal, and Anthelmintic Drugs....................................................27
44. Antiinflammatory and Antigout Drugs...........................................................................27
Part 8 – Chemotherapeutic Drugs and Biologic and Immune Modifiers.................................28
45. Antineoplastic Drugs Part 1: Cancer Overview and Cell Cycle–Specific Drugs...............28
46. Antineoplastic Drugs Part 2: Cell Cycle–Nonspecific and Miscellaneous Drugs............30
47. Biologic Response–Modifying and Antirheumatic Drugs...............................................31
48. Immunosuppressant Drugs............................................................................................32
49. Immunizing Drugs...........................................................................................................33
Part 9 – Drugs Affecting the Gastrointestinal System and Nutrition........................................33
50. Acid-Controlling Drugs....................................................................................................33
51. Bowel Disorder Drugs.....................................................................................................34
52. Antiemetic and Antinausea Drugs..................................................................................35
53. Vitamins and Minerals....................................................................................................35
54. Anemia Drugs.................................................................................................................36
, 55. Nutritional Supplements................................................................................................37
Part 10 – Dermatologic, Ophthalmic, and Otic Drugs..............................................................37
56. Dermatologic Drugs........................................................................................................37
57. Ophthalmic Drugs...........................................................................................................38
58. Otic Drugs.......................................................................................................................39
Practice Test 55 Q&A................................................................................................................41
Top 10 learning objectives........................................................................................................49
Top 20 core concepts explained book......................................................................................51
Part 1 – Pharmacology Basics
1. The Nursing Process and Drug Therapy
Safe drug therapy combines pharmacological knowledge with systematic clinical reasoning. Medication
decisions should follow:
Assessment → planning → administration → monitoring → evaluation
The nurse assesses indication, allergies, current medications, renal/hepatic function, laboratory values, age,
pregnancy status, and previous responses.
1. Assess the patient and medication history.
2. Identify therapeutic goals and risks.
3. Administer the correct drug, dose, route, and time.
4. Monitor therapeutic and adverse effects.
5. Evaluate whether treatment achieved its intended outcome.
Therapeutic effect: intended beneficial response.
Adverse effect: unintended and potentially harmful response.
2. Pharmacologic Principles
Two fundamental concepts are:
Pharmacokinetics (PK): what the body does to the drug.
Pharmacodynamics (PD): what the drug does to the body.
ADME
Absorption → Distribution → Metabolism → Excretion
Bioavailability (F) is the fraction of a dose reaching systemic circulation. IV administration has essentially
complete bioavailability.
Important pharmacokinetic concepts:
