Pharmacology 2

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Sample questions from Pharmacology 2

This material has 90 questions with answers and rationales. Here are the first 5.

1. 1.In a community clinic, a client asks why an oral medication may take longer to work than the same medication given intravenously. Which explanation is most accurate?

   • A.An oral medication bypasses the liver, so it is eliminated more slowly.
   • B.An oral medication must be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract before it can reach systemic circulation.
   • C.An oral medication is distributed only to the gastrointestinal tract.
   • D.An oral medication enters the bloodstream immediately but has a longer duration of action.

   Rationale: Oral drugs must dissolve and be absorbed before entering systemic circulation, so their onset is often slower than that of intravenous drugs. The intravenous route delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream and bypasses absorption. Oral drugs do not bypass the liver, and route alone does not determine duration or limit distribution to the gastrointestinal tract.

2. 2.During a home visit, the parent of a 3-year-old asks how to give a prescribed oral suspension safely. Which instructions should the nurse provide? Select all that apply.

   • A.Use a household teaspoon because it provides a consistent volume.
   • B.Shake the suspension as directed before measuring each dose.
   • C.Follow the label instructions about whether to give the medication with food.
   • D.Store the medication according to the product label.
   • E.Use an oral syringe or a calibrated medication device to measure the dose.
   • F.If the child spits out part of a dose, repeat the entire dose immediately.

   Rationale: Shaking a suspension as directed helps distribute the medication evenly, and an oral syringe or calibrated device provides a more accurate measurement than household cutlery. Food instructions and storage requirements vary by medication, so the label should be followed. A household teaspoon is not reliably calibrated, and repeating a dose after spitting risks giving too much because the amount swallowed may be uncertain.

3. 3.A client's serum creatinine has increased from 0.9 mg/dL to 2.1 mg/dL since admission. Which pharmacokinetic change is most important for the nurse to anticipate for a medication primarily eliminated unchanged by the kidneys?

   • A.Increased renal clearance may shorten the medication's half-life.
   • B.Increased first-pass metabolism will raise the medication's peak level.
   • C.Reduced renal clearance may cause the medication to accumulate.
   • D.Reduced protein binding will always prevent adverse effects.

   Rationale: Impaired renal function can reduce clearance of a drug eliminated unchanged by the kidneys, increasing its half-life and risk of accumulation. Increased renal clearance would have the opposite effect and is not suggested by the rising creatinine. Protein binding changes do not reliably prevent adverse effects, and first-pass metabolism occurs primarily in the liver, not the kidneys.

4. 4.At change of shift, the nurse receives report on a client with a new prescription for an enteric-coated tablet. Which action is appropriate?

   • A.Crush the tablet and mix it with applesauce to help the client swallow it.
   • B.Split the tablet in half to make the dose easier to take.
   • C.Dissolve the tablet in water so absorption begins immediately.
   • D.Administer the tablet intact unless the product instructions specify otherwise.

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.

5. 5.A client states, "I feel dizzy after taking my first dose of a new blood pressure medicine." Which action should the nurse take first?

   • A.Assess the client's blood pressure and symptoms, including changes with position if safe.
   • B.Ask the client to stand and walk to determine whether the dizziness resolves.
   • C.Recommend taking the next dose with a high-fat meal.
   • D.Tell the client to stop the medication permanently.

   Answer and rationale are in the full material.