Download Pharmacology test bank Pharm Exam 3 Test Bank Questions And Correct Answers Latest Updated and more Exams Nursing in PDF only on Docsity! Pharmacology test bank Pharm Exam 3 Test Bank Questions And Correct Answers Latest Updated 2024/2025 A patient with elevated lipid levels has a new prescription for nicotinic acid (niacin). The nurse informs the patient that which adverse effects may occur with this medication? Correct Answer Pruritis, cutaneous flusing The nurse will monitor for myopathy (muscle pain) when a patient is taking which class of antilipemic drugs? Correct Answer HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors The nurse is conducting a class about antilipemic drugs. The antilipemic drugs ezetimibe (Zetia) works by which mechanism? Correct AnswerInhibiting cholesterol absorption in the small intestine When giving Benzotate, the nurse understands that this drug suppresses the cough reflex by which mechanism of action? Correct AnswerAnesthetizing the stretch receptors A patient has been advised to add a nasal spray (an adrenergic decongestant) to treat a cold. The nurse will include which instruction? Correct AnswerLimit use to 3 to 5 days. A patient is taking a xanthine derivative as part of treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The nurse will monitor for which adverse effects associated with the use of xanthine derivatives? Correct AnswerPalpitations After receiving a nebulizer treatment with a beta agonist, the patient complains of feeling slightly nervous and wonders if her asthma is getting worse. What is the nurse's best response? Correct AnswerThis is an expected adverse effect. Let me take your pulse. A patient has prescriptions for two inhalers. One inhaler is a bronchodilator, and the other is a corticosteroid. Which instruction regarding these inhalers will the nurse give to the patient? Correct AnswerTake the bronchodilator first. When evaluating a patient;s use of a metered-dose inhaler, the nurse notes that the patient is unable to coordinate the activation of the inhaler with her breathing. What intervention is most appropriate at this time? Correct AnswerObtain an order for a spacer device. The nurse is reviewing medications for the treatment of asthma. Which drugs are used for acute asthma attacks? Correct AnswerAlbuterol nebulizer solution and Epinephrine The nurse is providing instructions to a patient who has a new prescription for a corticosteroid metered-dose inhaler. Which statement by the patient indicates that teaching was effective? Correct Answera. I will rinse my mouth with water after using the inhaler and then spit out the water. c. I will clean the plastic inhaler casing weekly by removing the canister and then washing the casing in warm, soapy water. I will then let it dry before reassembling. e. I will continue to use the inhaler even if I am feeling better. When reviewing the allergy history of a patient, the nurse notes that the patient is allergic to penicillin. Based on this finding, the nurse would question an order for which class of antibiotics? Correct AnswerCephalosporins The nurse is providing teaching to a patient taking an oral tetracycline antibiotic. Which statement by the nurse is correct? Correct AnswerAvoid direct sunlight and tanning beds while on this medication. When reviewing medication orders for a patient who is taking penicillin. the nurse notes he patient is also taking warfarin (coumadin). What possible effect may occur as the result of an interaction between these drugs? Correct AnswerThe penicillin will cause an enhanced anticoagulant effect of the warfarin. A patient is receiving his third intravenous dose of a penicillin drug. He calls the nurse to report that he is feeling "anxious" and is having trouble breathing. What does the nurse do first? Correct AnswerStop the antibiotic infusion. A patient is admitted with a fever of 102.8 F, origin unknown. Assessment revels cloudy, foul-smelling urine that is dark amber in color. Orders have just been written to obtain state urine and blood cultures and to administer antibiotic intravenously. The nurse will complete these orders in which sequence? Correct AnswerBlood and urine cultures, antibiotic dose The nurse is monitoring a patient who has been on antiobiotic therapy for 2 weeks. Today the patient tells the nurse that he has had watery diarrhea since the day before and is having addominal cramps. His oral temperature is 101 F. Based on these findings, which conclusion will the nurse draw? Correct AnswerThe patient needs to be tested for C. Diff infection. The nurse is reviewing the sputum culture results of a patient with pneumonia and notes that the patient has a gram-positive infection. What generation of cephalosporin is most appropriate for this type of infection? Correct AnswerFirst generation The nurse is teaching a patient who will be discharged home with a prescription for an enteric-coated tablet. Which statement by the patient indicates understanding of the teaching? a. "I may crush the tablet and put it in applesauce to improve absorption." b. "I should consume acidic foods to enhance absorption of this medication." c. "I should expect a delay in onset of the drug's effects after taking the tablet." d. "I should take this medication with high-fat foods to improve its action." Correct Answerc A patient who is newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus asks why insulin must be given by subcutaneous injection instead of by mouth. The nurse will explain that this is because a. absorption is diminished by the first-pass effects in the liver. b. absorption is faster when insulin is given subcutaneously. c. digestive enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract prevent absorption. d. the oral form is less predictable with more adverse effects. Correct Answerc The nurse is preparing to administer an oral medication that is water-soluble. The nurse understands that this drug a. must be taken on an empty stomach. b. requires active transport for absorption. c. should be taken with fatty foods. d. will readily diffuse into the gastrointestinal tract. Correct Answerb A nurse is preparing to administer an oral drug that is best absorbed in an acidic environment. How will the nurse give the drug? a. On an empty stomach b. With a full glass of water c. With food d. With high-fat food Correct Answerc The nurse is preparing an injectable drug and wants to administer it for rapid absorption. How will the nurse give this medication? a. IM into the deltoid muscle b. IM into the gluteal muscle c. SubQ into abdominal tissue d. SubQ into the upper arm Correct Answera The nurse is reviewing medication information with a nursing student prior to administering an oral drug and notes that the drug has extensive first-pass effects. Which statement by the student indicates a need for further teaching about this medication? a. "The first-pass effect means the drug may be absorbed into systemic circulation from the intestinal lumen." b. "The first-pass effect means the drug may be changed to an inactive form and excreted." c. "The first-pass effect means the drug may be changed to a metabolite, which may be more active than the original." d. "The first-pass effect means the drug may be unchanged as it passes through the liver." Correct Answera The nurse prepares to change a patient's medication from an intravenous to an oral form and notes that the oral form is ordered in a higher dose. The nurse understands that this is due to differences in a. bioavailability. b. pinocytosis. c. protein binding. d. tachyphylaxis. Correct Answera The nurse is preparing to administer a drug and learns that it binds to protein at a rate of 90%. The patient's serum albumin level is low. The nurse will observe the patient for a. decreased drug absorption. b. decreased drug interactions. c. decreased drug toxicity. d. increased drug effects. Correct Answerd The nurse is administering two drugs to a patient and learns that both drugs are highly protein-bound. The nurse may expect a. decreased bioavailability of both drugs. b. decreased drug effects. c. decreased drug interactions. d. increased risk of adverse effects. Correct Answerd The nurse gives a medication to a patient with a history of liver disease. The nurse will monitor this patient for a. decreased drug effects. b. increased drug effects. c. decreased therapeutic range. d. increased therapeutic range. Correct Answerb The nurse gives 800 mg of a drug that has a half-life of 8 hours. How much drug will be left in the body in 24 hours if no additional drug is given? a. None b. 50 mg c. 100 mg d. 200 mg Correct Answerc If a drug has a half-life of 12 hours and is given twice daily starting at 0800 on a Monday, when will a steady state be achieved? a. 0800 on Tuesday b. 0800 on Wednesday c. 0800 on Thursday d. 0800 on Friday Correct Answerb The nurse administers albuterol to a patient who has asthma. The albuterol acts by stimulating beta2-adrenergic receptors to cause bronchodilation. The nurse understands that albuterol is a beta-adrenergic a. agonist. b. antagonist. c. inhibitor. d. depressant. Correct Answera The nurse is explaining to the patient why a nonspecific drug has so many side effects. Which statement by the patient indicates a need for further teaching? a. "Nonspecific drugs can affect specific receptor types in different body tissues." b. "Nonspecific drugs can affect a variety of receptor types in similar body tissues." c. "Nonspecific drugs can affect hormone secretion as well as cellular functions." d. "Nonspecific drugs require higher doses than specific drugs to be effective." Correct Answerd The nurse is preparing to give a dose of gentamicin to a patient and notes that the most recent serum gentamicin trough level was 2 mcg/mL. What will the nurse do next? a. Administer the drug as ordered. b. Administer the drug and monitor for adverse effects. c. Notify the provider to discuss decreasing the dose. d. Notify the provider to report a toxic drug level. Correct Answerd The nurse is preparing to administer the first dose of digoxin (Lanoxin) to a patient and notes that the dose ordered is much higher than the usual recommended dose. Which action will the nurse perform? a. Administer the dose as ordered. b. Give the dose and monitor for toxicity. c. Hold the dose until reviewing it with the provider. d. Refuse to give the dose. Correct Answera The nurse administers a narcotic analgesic to a patient who has been receiving it for 1 day after orthopedic surgery. The patient reports no change in pain 30 minutes after the medication is given. The nurse recognizes that this patient is exhibiting a. drug-seeking behavior. b. drug tolerance. c. the placebo effect. d. tachyphylaxis. Correct Answerd d. A powder Correct Answerd A patient was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last month, and has complained of a dull ache in the abdomen for the past 4 months. This pain has been gradually increasing, and the pain relievers taken at home are no longer effective. What type of pain is the patient experiencing? a. Acute pain b. Chronic pain c. Somatic pain d. Neuropathic pain Correct Answerb An 18-year-old basketball player fell and twisted his ankle during a game. The nurse will expect to administer which type of analgesic? a. Synthetic opioid, such as meperidine (Demerol) b. Opium alkaloid, such as morphine sulfate c. Opioid antagonist, such as naloxone HCL (Narcan) d. Nonopioid analgesic, such as indomethacin (Indocin) Correct Answerd A patient is recovering from abdominal surgery, which he had this morning. He is groggy but complaining of severe pain around his incision. What is the most important assessment data to consider before the nurse administers a dose of morphine sulfate to the patient? a. His pulse rate b. His respiratory rate c. The appearance of the incision d. The date of his last bowel movement Correct Answerb A 78-year-old patient is in the recovery room after having a lengthy surgery on his hip. As he is gradually awakening, he requests pain medication. Within 10 minutes after receiving a dose of morphine sulfate, he is very lethargic and his respirations are shallow, with a rate of 7 per minute. The nurse prepares for which priority action at this time? a. Assessment of the patient's pain level b. Immediate intubation and artificial ventilation c. Administration of naloxone (Narcan) d. Close observation of signs of opioid tolerance Correct Answerc A patient will be discharged with a 1-week supply of an opioid analgesic for pain management after abdominal surgery. The nurse will include which information in the teaching plan? a. How to prevent dehydration due to diarrhea b. Importance of taking the drug only when the pain becomes severe c. How to prevent constipation d. Importance of taking the drug on an empty stomach Correct Answerc A 38-year-old man has come into the urgent care center with severe hip pain after falling from a ladder at work. He says he has taken several pain pills over the past few hours but cannot remember how many he has taken. He hands the nurse an empty bottle of acetaminophen (Tylenol). The nurse is aware that the most serious toxic effect of acute acetaminophen overdose is which condition? a. Tachycardia b. Central nervous system depression c. Hepatic necrosis d. Nephropathy Correct Answerc A 57-year-old woman being treated for end-stage breast cancer has been using a transdermal opioid analgesic as part of the management of pain. Lately, she has been experiencing breakthrough pain. The nurse expects this type of pain to be managed by a. administering NSAIDs. b. administering an immediate-release opioid. c. changing the opioid route to the rectal route. d. not changing the current therapy. Correct Answerb A patient is receiving gabapentin (Neurontin), an anticonvulsant, but has no history of seizures. The nurse expects that the patient is receiving this drug for which condition? a. Inflammation pain b. Pain associated with peripheral neuropathy c. Depression associated with chronic pain d. Prevention of seizures Correct Answerb The nurse is assessing a patient who has been admitted to the emergency department for a possible opioid overdose. Which assessment finding is characteristic of an opioid drug overdose? a. Dilated pupils b. Restlessness c. Respiration rate of 6 breaths/minute d. Heart rate of 55 beats/minute Correct Answerc The drug nalbuphine (Nubain) is an agonist-antagonist (partial agonist). The nurse understands that which is a characteristic of partial agonists? Beneficence d. Autonomy Correct Answerb A patient is undergoing major surgery and asks the nurse about a living will. He states, "I don't want anybody else making decisions for me. And I don't want to prolong my life." The patient is demonstrating which ethical term? a. Autonomy b. Beneficence c. Justice d. Veracity Correct Answera The nurse is reviewing a list of scheduled drugs and notes that Schedule C-I drugs are not on the list. Which is a characteristic of Schedule C-I drugs? a. No refills are permitted b. May be obtained over the counter with a signature c. Are available only by written prescription d. Are used only with approved protocols Correct Answerd During a fishing trip, a patient pierced his finger with a large fishhook. He is now in the emergency department to have it removed. The nurse anticipates that which type of anesthesia will be used for this procedure? a. No anesthesia b. Topical benzocaine spray on the area c. Topical prilocaine (EMLA) cream around the site d. Infiltration of the puncture wound with lidocaine Correct Answerd A patient is to receive local anesthesia for removal of a lymph node from his armpit. The physician asks for a solution of premixed lidocaine and epinephrine. The nurse knows that the epinephrine is used for which reason? a. It prevents an anaphylactic reaction from occurring. b. The anesthetic enhances the effect of the epinephrine. c. Epinephrine contributes to a balanced anesthetic state. d. It keeps the anesthetic at its local site of action and decreases incisional bleeding. Correct Answerd During the immediate postoperative recovery period, what is the nurse's priority assessment? a. Pupil responses b. Return to sensation c. Level of consciousness d. Airway, breathing, and circulation Correct Answerd While monitoring a patient who had surgery under general anesthesia 2 hours ago, the nurse notes a sudden elevation in body temperature. This finding may be an indication of which problem? a. Tachyphylaxis b. Postoperative infection c. Malignant hypertension d. Malignant hyperthermia Correct Answerd When assessing patients in the preoperative area, the nurse knows that which patient is at a higher risk for an altered response to anesthesia? a. The 30-year-old patient who has never had surgery before b. The 45-year-old patient who stopped smoking 10 years ago c. The 21-year-old patient who is to have a kidney stone removed d. The 78-year-old patient who is to have gallbladder removal Correct Answerd A patient is undergoing abdominal surgery and has been anesthetized for 3 hours. Which nursing diagnosis would be appropriate for this patient? a. Anxiety related to the use of an anesthetic b. Risk for injury related to increased sensorium from general anesthesia c. Decreased cardiac output related to systemic effects of local anesthesia d. Impaired gas exchange related to central nervous system depression produced by general anesthesia Correct Answerd When administering a neuromuscular blocking drug such as pancuronium (Pavulon), the nurse needs to remember which principle? a. It is used instead of general anesthesia during surgery. b. Only skeletal muscles are paralyzed; respiratory muscles remain functional. c. It causes sedation and pain relief while allowing for lower doses of anesthetics. d. Artificial mechanical ventilation is required because of paralyzed respiratory muscles. Correct Answerd A patient has been given succinylcholine (Anectine) after a severe injury that necessitated controlled ventilation. The physician now wants to reverse the paralysis. The nurse would expect to use which drug to reverse the succinylcholine? a. valium (Diazepam) b. a. The lithium level is therapeutic. b. The lithium level is too low. c. This lithium level is too high. d. Lithium is not usually monitored with blood levels. Correct Answera A patient with the diagnosis of schizophrenia is hospitalized and is taking a phenothiazine drug. Which statement by this patient indicates that he is experiencing a common adverse effect of phenothiazines? a. "I can't sleep at night." b. "I feel hungry all the time." c. "Look at how red my hands are." d. "My mouth has been so dry lately." Correct Answerd A patient has been taking the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) sertraline (Zoloft) for about 6 months. At a recent visit, she tells the nurse that she has been interested in herbal therapies and wants to start taking St. John's wort. Which response by the nurse is appropriate? a. "That should be no problem." b. "Good idea! Hopefully you'll be able to stop taking the Zoloft." c. "Be sure to stop taking the herb if you notice a change in side effects." d. "Taking St. John's wort with Zoloft may cause severe interactions and is not recommended." Correct Answerd A patient has been admitted to the emergency department with a suspected overdose of a tricyclic antidepressant. The nurse will prepare for what immediate concern? a. Hypertension b. Renal failure c. Cardiac dysrhythmias d. Gastrointestinal bleeding Correct Answerc The wife of a patient who has been diagnosed with depression calls the office and says, "It's been an entire week since he started that new medicine for his depression, and there's no change! What's wrong with him?" What is the nurse's best response? a. "The medication may not be effective for him. He may need to try another type." b. "It may take up to 4 weeks to notice any therapeutic effects. Let's wait a little longer to see how he does." c. "It sounds like the dose is not high enough. I'll check about increasing the dosage." d. "Some patients never recover from depression. He may not respond to this therapy." Correct Answerb Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) is prescribed for a patient, and the nurse provides instructions to the patient about the medication. The nurse includes which information? a. The patient needs to avoid caffeine while on this drug. b. The patient needs to wear sunscreen while outside because of photosensitivity. c. Long-term therapy may result in nervousness and excitability. d. The medication may be taken with an antacid to reduce gastrointestinal upset Correct Answerb The nurse is reviewing the food choices of a patient who is taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Which food choice would indicate the need for additional teaching? a. Orange juice b. Fried eggs over-easy c. Salami and Swiss cheese sandwich d. Biscuits and honey Correct Answerc A patient wants to take a ginseng dietary supplement. The nurse instructs the patient to look for which potential adverse effect? a. Drowsiness b. Palpitations and anxiety c. Dry mouth d. Constipation Correct Answerb The nurse is reviewing medications used for depression. Which of these statements is a reason that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are more widely prescribed today than tricyclic antidepressants? a. SSRIs have fewer sexual side effects. b. Unlike tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs do not have drug-food interactions. c. Tricyclic antidepressants cause serious cardiac dysrhythmias if an overdose occurs. d. SSRIs cause a therapeutic response faster than tricyclic antidepressants. Correct Answerc