Chapter 1: Orientation to Pharmacology
Test Bank
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse is teaching a patient how a medication works to treat an illness. To
do
... [Show More] this, the nurse will rely on knowledge of:
a. clinical pharmacology.
b. drug efficacy.
c. pharmacokinetics.
d. pharmacotherapeutics.
2. What does it mean when a drug is described as easy to administer?
a. It can be stored indefinitely without need for refrigeration.
b. It does not interact significantly with other medications.
c. It enhances patient adherence to the drug regimen.
d. It is usually relatively inexpensive to produce.
3. A patient tells the nurse that he was told by the prescriber that the analgesic
he is taking is very effective. Which statement by the patient demonstrates an
understanding of the drug’s effectiveness?
a.
“I don’t have to worry about toxicity, since it takes a large amount of this drug to cause
an overdose.”
b. “It has no side effects and doesn’t interact with other drugs.”
c. “I only have to take it every 12 hours.”
d. “It might make me sleepy, and it lessens pain for several hours at a time.”
MULTIPLE RESPONSE
1. What are the properties of an ideal drug? (Select all that apply.)
a. Irreversible action
b. Predictability
c. Ease of administration
d. Chemical stability
e. A simple trade name
2. Before administering a medication, what does the nurse need to know to
evaluate how individual patient variability might affect the patient’s response to
the medication? (Select all that apply.)
a. Chemical stability of the medication
b. Ease of administration
c. Family medical history
d. Patient’s age
e. Patient’s diagnosis
Chapter 2: Application of Pharmacology in Nursing Practice
Test Bank
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient is using a metered-dose inhaler containing albuterol for asthma.
The medication label instructs the patient to administer “2 puffs every 4 hours
as needed for coughing or wheezing.” The patient reports feeling jittery
sometimes when taking the medication, and she doesn’t feel that the
medication is always effective. Which is not an appropriate nursing intervention
for this patient?
a. Asking the patient to demonstrate use of the inhaler
b. Assessing the patient’s exposure to tobacco smoke
c. Auscultating lung sounds and obtaining vital signs
d. Suggesting that the patient use one puff to reduce side effects
2. A postoperative patient is being discharged home with
acetaminophen/hydrocodone (Lortab) for pain. The patient asks the nurse about
using Tylenol for fever. Which statement by the nurse is correct?
a. “It is not safe to take over-the-counter drugs with prescription medications.”
b. “Taking the two medications together poses a risk of drug toxicity.”
c. “There are no known drug interactions, so this will be safe.”
d. “Tylenol and Lortab are different drugs, so there is no risk of overdose.”
3. The nurse is preparing to care for a patient who will be taking an
antihypertensive medication. Which action by the nurse is part of the
assessment step of the nursing process?
a. Asking the prescriber for an order to monitor serum drug levels
b. Monitoring the patient for drug interactions after giving the medication
c. Questioning the patient about over-the-counter medications
d. Taking the patient’s blood pressure throughout the course of treatment
4. A postoperative patient reports pain, which the patient rates as an 8 on a
scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the most extreme pain). The prescriber has
ordered acetaminophen (Tylenol) 650 mg PO every 6 hours PRN pain. What will
the nurse do?
a. Ask the patient what medications have helped with pain in the past.
b. Contact the provider to request a different analgesic medication.
c. Give the pain medication and reposition the patient to promote comfort.
d. Request an order to administer the medication every 4 hours.
5. A patient newly diagnosed with diabetes is to be discharged from the
hospital. The nurse teaching this patient about home management should begin
by doing what?
a. Asking the patient to demonstrate how to measure and administer insulin
b. Discussing methods of storing insulin and discarding syringes
c. Giving information about how diet and exercise affect insulin requirements
d. Teaching the patient about the long-term consequences of poor diabetes control
6. The nurse receives an order to give morphine 5 mg IV every 2 hours PRN
pain. Which action is not part of the six rights of drug administration?
a. Assessing the patient’s pain level 15 to 30 minutes after giving the medication
b.
Checking the medication administration record to see when the last dose was
administered
c.
Consulting a drug manual to determine whether the amount the prescriber ordered is
appropriate
d.
Documenting the reason the medication was given in the patient’s electronic medical
record
7. A patient tells a nurse that a medication prescribed for recurrent migraine
headaches is not working. What will the nurse do?
a. Ask the patient about the number and frequency of tablets taken.
b. Assess the patient’s headache pain on a scale from 1 to 10.
c. Report the patient’s complaint to the prescriber.
d. Suggest biofeedback as an adjunct to drug therapy.
8. A nurse is preparing to administer medications. Which patient would the
nurse consider to have the greatest predisposition to an adverse reaction?
a. A 30-year-old man with kidney disease
b. A 75-year-old woman with cystitis
c. A 50-year-old man with an upper respiratory tract infection
d. A 9-year-old boy with an ear infection
9. A nurse consults a drug manual before giving a medication to an 80-year-old
patient. The manual states that elderly patients are at increased risk for hepatic
side effects. Which action by the nurse is correct?
a. Contact the provider to discuss an order for pretreatment laboratory work.
b.
Ensure that the drug is given in the correct dose at the correct time to minimize the risk
of adverse effects.
c. Notify the provider that this drug is contraindicated for this patient.
d. Request an order to give the medication intravenously so that the drug does not pass
through the liver.
10. A patient has been receiving intravenous penicillin for pneumonia for several
days and begins to complain of generalized itching. The nurse auscultates
bilateral wheezing and notes a temperature of 38.5° C (101° F). Which is the
correct action by the nurse?
a. Administer the next dose and continue to evaluate the patient’s symptoms.
b. Ask the prescriber if an antihistamine can be given to relieve the itching.
c. Contact the prescriber to request an order for a chest radiograph.
d. Hold the next dose and notify the prescriber of the symptoms. [Show Less]