Deck 2: Application of Pharmacology in Nursing Practice

Question 1

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

Answer 1

Asking the patient to demonstrate how to measure and administer insulin

Question 2

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.

Answer 2

Hold the next dose and notify the prescriber of the symptoms.

Question 3

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

Answer 3

Assessing the patient's pain level 15 to 30 minutes after giving the medication

Question 4

A nurse consults a drug manual before giving a medication to an 80-year-old patient. The manual states that older adult 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.

Question 5

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.

Question 6

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.

Question 7

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

Question 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

Question 9

A nurse is reviewing a patient's medical record before administering a medication. Which factors can alter the patient's physiologic response to the drug?

A) Ability to swallow pills
B) Age
C) Genetic factors
D) Gender
E) Height

Question 10

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 he or she doesn't feel that the medication is always effective. Which action is outside the nurse's scope of practice?

A) Asking the patient to demonstrate the 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 1 puff to reduce side effects

Question 11

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."

Question 12

The nurse is teaching a patient about home administration of insulin to treat diabetes mellitus. As part of the teaching, the patient and nurse identify goals to maintain specific blood glucose ranges. This represents which aspect of the nursing process?

A) Assessment
B) Evaluation
C) Implementation
D) Planning

Question 13

A postoperative patient has orders for morphine sulfate 1 to 2 mg IV every 1 hour PRN for severe pain and acetaminophen-hydrocodone [Lortab] 7.5 mg PO every 4 to 6 hours PRN for moderate pain. The patient reports pain at a level of 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain. Which action by the nurse is appropriate?

A) Administer acetaminophen-hydrocodone 7.5 mg PO every 4 hours.
B) Administer acetaminophen-hydrocodone 7.5 mg PO every 6 hours and change to every 4 hours if not effective.
C) Administer morphine sulfate 1 mg IV every 1 hour until pain subsides.
D) Administer morphine sulfate 2 mg IV and evaluate the patient's pain in 15 to 30 minutes.