Question 1

A patient with liver disease is beginning medication therapy with a drug that is metabolized in the liver. The nurse anticipates the dose of the medication to be _____ the normal dose.

Accepted Answer

When there is a decrease in liver function resulting from disease or aging, a smaller dose may be ordered to prevent excess drug accumulation and development of toxicity.

Question 2

A hospitalized 3-year-old toddler is to receive an oral medication. For the most effective approach, the nurse should tell the child:

Accepted Answer

The best approach is to confidently explain to the child what the drug is for and how it will be given using simple language and short sentences.

Question 3

The nurse is aware that for a drug to be effectively eliminated from the body, the patient must have a fluid intake of 50 mL/kg/day. The nurse would provide for a patient who weighs 125 pounds ______ mL of water per day.

Accepted Answer

Divide the patient's weight by 2.2 to convert to kilograms. Then multiply the total by 50 mL to get the total mL per day. (125lbs/2.2) x 50 mL = 2840.9 mL.

Question 4

The nurse is going to administer a medication that must be crushed for the patient to take it. This medication is best given to the patient by:

Accepted Answer

A drug that is crushed needs to be mixed in something else, such as applesauce.

Question 5

The nurse is aware that the physician has ordered a pain relief drug to be delivered in the manner in which postoperative pain would be relieved most rapidly. This method is:

Accepted Answer

Intravenously administered medications are absorbed more quickly than medications administered by other routes.

Question 6

A patient is receiving an initial dose of penicillin for pneumonia. The nurse should be alert and monitor for:

Accepted Answer

A rash or hives can indicate allergic response; nausea and dizziness are examples of adverse drug effects. With an allergic reaction the patient is cautions to never take the drug again.

Question 7

The nurse explains that a drug may have several names. The trade name is the only name that can be:

Accepted Answer

The trade name of a drug is patented or trademarked. Generic names cannot be trademarked and are frequently cheaper to purchase under that name. The chemical name is one that identifies the compounds in the drug. Retailers can sell the drug by either name.

Question 8

An elderly patient who lives in a skilled nursing facility and who likes to walk is taking a medication that lowers blood pressure by dilating blood vessels. The best nursing action for this patient is to:

Accepted Answer

Elderly patients are likely to have greater blood pressure fluctuations with position changes and are more susceptible to falls when taking drugs that cause orthostatic hypotension. Assistance with ambulation may offer safety, but if the patient has already fallen when getting out of bed or a chair, assisted ambulation is pointless.

Question 9

A nurse is reinforcing instructions to a patient who is beginning medication therapy with a central nervous system (CNS) depressant drug. The nurse cautions the patient not to drink alcohol, because alcohol and the drug could cause a synergic effect, which means the:

Accepted Answer

Alcohol has a synergistic effect when combined with any drug that depresses the CNS, because it is also a CNS depressant. The combination of the two makes the drug more powerful.

Question 10

A patient is due for a 40-mg dose of furosemide (Lasix), at 9:00 AM on May 5, 2013. The drug label reads "20 mg per tablet." The tablets in the bottle appear firm and unbroken. The expiration date on the bottle reads "April 2, 2013." The best nursing action is to:

Accepted Answer

The pharmacy should be called, because the medication is past the expiration date and should not be given to the patient.

Question 11

A nurse is administering medications to a group of patients. The safest way to identify each patient is to:

Accepted Answer

The best method is to check both the name and identification number on the wristband and compare them to the MAR.

Question 12

When the nurse is administering a medication to a patient, the patient states that the tablet looks different from the one usually taken. The most prudent action by the nurse would be to:

Accepted Answer

If a patient questions the dose given, the nurse should stop and verify the order.

Question 13

A patient is receiving antibiotic drug therapy. It is important to ensure the scheduled dose is not given late to keep the circulating drug level above the _____ concentration level.

Accepted Answer

If a drug is given late, the concentration level of the drug in the circulation could drop below the minimum effective concentration level.

Question 14

A nurse is administering a dose of insulin to a patient. To practice nursing safely and effectively, the nurse should:

Accepted Answer

The prudent nurse asks another nurse to check the prepared dose of drugs such as insulin, anticoagulants, and injectable digoxin.

Question 15

A nurse has an order to administer a schedule II drug to a patient. When working with medications of this type, the responsibility of the nurse is to:

Accepted Answer

Schedule II drugs are narcotics, which are controlled substances that are kept in a locked area on the nursing unit, and each dose must be signed out.

Question 16

A nurse is administering a medication to an elderly patient who is normally highly protein bound. The nurse would be concerned about increased drug activity and possible toxicity if the patient's laboratory values show _____ levels.

Accepted Answer

Albumin is a type of protein, and this patient is at risk if the albumin level is low, because this larger amount of drug will circulate in unbound form, increasing risk of adverse and toxic effects.

Question 17

An elderly patient with arthritis who has been taking anti-inflammatory drugs for the last 5 years should be monitored for:

Accepted Answer

Older patients who are on long-term anti-inflammatory therapy for arthritis should be monitored for GI bleeding and anemia.

Question 18

A patient who is to receive a daily medication by the oral route has had nausea and vomiting for the last 24 hours. The best action to ensure that the patient receives the scheduled dose is to:

Accepted Answer

When a patient is experiencing nausea and vomiting, the nurse can consult with the physician to get an order for the drug to be changed to the rectal or parenteral route, as long as the drug is also supplied in that form.

Question 19

When preparing medications for delivery to an assigned patient, the nurse should check each medication for accuracy of drug and dose _____ time(s).

Accepted Answer

Medications should be checked three times to prevent medication errors.

Question 20

Before administering a medication to a newly assigned patient, the nurse should determine why the patient is receiving it by checking the:

Accepted Answer

The medical history contains information about the medical problems a patient has, so the nurse can correlate the reason a drug is being administered.

Quiz 33: Pharmacology and Preparation for Drug Administration