Deck 8: Drug Administration Throughout the Lifespan

Question 1

A woman who wishes to become pregnant is concerned about the drugs she must take in order to treat a serious medical condition. The nurse reviewing the drug list would be most concerned about which kind of drug?

A) A drug with a long half-life
B) A drug with no active metabolites
C) A drug with high protein-binding ability
D) A drug taken only when needed

Answer 1

A drug with a long half-life

Question 2

The nurse will administer medication to a school-age child. What is the preferred action by the nurse?

A) Teach the child the action and expected side effects of the medication.
B) Tell the child he will not be allowed to go to recess if the medication is not taken.
C) Offer the child a choice of beverage with which to take the medication.
D) Offer to play with the child prior to medication administration.

Answer 2

Offer the child a choice of beverage with which to take the medication.

Question 3

The adolescent is supposed to go to the school nurse at 12:00 to receive his medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He often does not go for the medication. What best describes the nurse's understanding of this situation?

A) The adolescent is embarrassed in front of his peers.
B) The adolescent does not understand the need for the medication.
C) The adolescent forgets that he is supposed to take the medication.
D) The adolescent has made a conscious decision not to take the medication.

Answer 3

The adolescent is embarrassed in front of his peers.

Question 4

The nursing instructor teaches student nurses about the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pregnancy Categories. What is the best information to include?

A) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pregnancy Category C is safe to use during pregnancy.
B) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pregnancy categories provide a framework for safe use of drugs in pregnant women.
C) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pregnancy categories for individual drugs seldom change once they are established.
D) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pregnancy categories are based on studies using clinical human research trials.
E) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pregnancy Category X has been associated with teratogenic effects.

Question 5

A nurse working in an obstetric practice should consider which fact when discussing medication use with pregnant patients?

A) Inhaled drugs may be absorbed to a greater extent.
B) Drug excretion rates are lowered.
C) Oral drug absorption rate is lowered.
D) Drugs should not be used during pregnancy.

Question 6

Which statement is accurate regarding pharmacotherapy in the older adult?

A) Increased body water can lead to a higher risk of drug toxicity.
B) Plasma levels are increased, leading to a heightened drug response.
C) Generally, drug doses should be increased due to prolonged drug metabolism.
D) Drug absorption is slower due to increased gastric pH.

Question 7

Which classification of drugs would the nurse refuse to administer to a pregnant patient?

A) category A
B) category B
C) cautionary
D) teratogenic

Question 8

The toddler refuses to take his oral medication. What is the best suggestion to the mother from the nurse for ensuring the toddler receives his medication?

A) "Tell him you will buy him a toy if he takes the medication."
B) "Crush the tablet and mix it with a small amount of jam."
C) "Crush the tablet and mix it with milk."
D) "Tell him he will be punished if he does not take the medicine."

Question 9

The nurse provides care for elders in an assisted living facility. What does the nurse assess as a primary contributing factor for drug toxicity in the elderly?

A) Older adults often abuse alcohol.
B) Older adults are frequently dehydrated.
C) Older adults are frequently constipated.
D) Older adults have increased stomach acid.

Question 10

The nurse plans to administer medication to the preschool child. Which approach indicates the nurse has an understanding of growth and development?

A) The child is often more cooperative if the parent is not in the room.
B) The child does better with verbal instruction than with play instruction.
C) There should be no need to restrain a child of this age.
D) Use a brief rationale, followed by quick administration of the medication.

Question 11

Which method would the nurse use to administer medications to school-age children?

A) Allow the child to make decisions regarding how medications are taken
B) Provide a brief explanation
C) Administer drugs while holding the child down
D) Provide a lengthy explanation followed by quick drug administration

Question 12

A drug for which research has shown an adverse effect in animals but not in pregnant women would be categorized as Category

A) A.
B) B.
C) D.
D) C.

Question 13

The nurse plans to teach a safety class to parents of toddlers about household exposure to medications. What will the best plan of the nurse include?

A) Keep the toddler awake and observe for side effects of the medication.
B) Keep all medications locked up and stored out of reach of the toddler.
C) Use syrup of ipecac immediately if the toddler has ingested medication.
D) Call the Poison Control Center for guidance with any medication ingested.
E) Teach the toddler that medications are for adult use only.

Question 14

The pregnant patient tells the nurse that her prescribed medication is not as effective as it was before her pregnancy. What is the best response by the nurse?

A) "This is because your blood volume has increased."
B) "Tell me how you have been taking your medication."
C) "This is because your baby is receiving part of the medication."
D) "Maybe the medication has expired; check the label."

Question 15

The nurse is teaching a caregivers' support group for caretakers of older adult patients. The focus is medication compliance. The nurse determines that learning has occurred when the caregivers make which response?

A) "We should crush their medicine and put it in applesauce so they will swallow it."
B) "We should use a medication management box so they won't forget to take it."
C) "We should ask the doctor if all the medication is really necessary."
D) "We should give them more education about the medicine so they will take it."

Question 16

The nurse teaches a class about medication used during pregnancy to pregnant women. The nurse determines that additional instruction is required when a class participant makes which response?

A) "The baby can only be harmed by medications during the first trimester."
B) "It is important to not take over-the-counter (OTC) drugs during my pregnancy."
C) "Exposure to teratogens can result in my baby's death or in malformations."
D) "If I breastfeed my baby, drugs can come through my breast milk."

Question 17

The nurse teaching a pre-conception class would tell participants that they should be most careful about exposure to drugs during which stage of pregnancy?

A) Each stage is equal in risk.
B) Pre-implantation period
C) Third trimester
D) Embryonic

Question 18

An adolescent patient comes to the school nurse with complaints of vague abdominal pain. What assessment data would help to confirm the nurse's suspicion that the adolescent has body image concerns?

A) The adolescent says, "Everyone makes a big deal about what I eat, so don't ask."
B) The adolescent tells the nurse, "I have been sexually active with my boyfriend."
C) The adolescent reports, "My periods are irregular. Should I see a doctor?"
D) The adolescent tells the nurse, "I just can't seem to get along with my parents."

Question 19

The pregnant patient plans to breastfeed her baby. She asks the nurse about the use of herbal products during breastfeeding. What is the best response by the nurse?

A) "Be sure to check the label to see if the herbal product could be used during breastfeeding."
B) "Most drugs can be transferred to the infant during breastfeeding, so this is not recommended."
C) "Herbal products are considered natural, so it should be fine to use them during breastfeeding."
D) "This should be fine, as long as there is at least 12 hours between the time you use the product and when you breastfeed."

Question 20

A patient presents with hypotension and bradycardia. The patient indicates that one of her physicians recently prescribed three new medications to her current list of 10 medications per day. Based on this information, which statement would be the most accurate?

A) The patient is having an allergic reaction to one of the new medications.
B) The patient is experiencing adverse reactions as a result of polypharmacy.
C) The patient is not in compliance with her prescribed medications.
D) The patient is experiencing an adverse effect that will go away in time.

Question 21

The nurse preparing a teaching plan for an adolescent postpartum mother includes which topics?

A) Most medications are secreted into breast milk.
B) Dietary supplements should be avoided.
C) Over-the-counter (OTC) herbal products are secreted into breast milk and have the potential to cause harm to the infant.
D) All tobacco products should be avoided.
E) Most drugs are safe to take right after breastfeeding because they will clear the bloodstream prior to the next feeding.

Question 22

A nurse is providing care to a patient who wears bilateral hearing aids. Which nursing interventions are indicated?

A) Speak a bit slower than normal.
B) Speak more loudly than normal.
C) Ensure that verbal and nonverbal communication is congruent.
D) Allow extra time for communication.
E) Use bright lighting in the room.

Question 23

For which patient would the nurse expect the health care provider to continue prescribed medications during pregnancy?

A) The patient recently diagnosed with gonorrhea
B) The patient with a history of frequent asthma attacks
C) The patient with hypertension
D) The patient with frequent insomnia
E) The patient with a family history of stroke

Question 24

The nurse is planning care for a pregnant patient prone to substance abuse. When the patient states, "My baby isn't getting my drugs, I am," how does the nurse respond?

A) "Most illicit drugs will cross the placenta and hurt the baby."
B) "Drugs may work longer in your baby."
C) "Some drugs result in your baby not growing enough."
D) "You are correct. You are far enough along in your pregnancy that drugs will not harm your baby."
E) "If you continue to take drugs, it will make you have a very irritable infant."

Question 25

A pregnant patient suspected of drug abuse is admitted to the emergency department. The nurse plans to teach the patient about which complications associated with drug use during pregnancy?

A) Preterm birth
B) Low birth weight
C) Birth defects
D) Allergies to narcotics
E) Increased labor

Question 26

A nurse has provided discharge medication instructions to the parents of a child being released from the emergency department. The nurse evaluates that learning has occurred when the parents make which statements?

A) "I should give this antibiotic as prescribed until the bottle is empty."
B) "I should use a spoon to give this medication."
C) "I will keep this medication in the refrigerator as the label directs."
D) "If my child develops any adverse effects, I will discard the rest of the medicine."
E) "This antibiotic should help my child's infection clear."

Question 27

When possible, drug therapy is postponed until after pregnancy and lactation. However, certain acute and chronic conditions must be managed during pregnancy, including

A) epilepsy.
B) serious cystic acne.
C) sexually transmitted infections.
D) gestational diabetes.
E) hypertension.

Question 28

The nurse preparing to transfer to a pediatric hospital would expect to administer medications to children from birth to age _____ years.

Question 29

The clinic nurse will immediately alert the health care provider when which category X drugs are identified on the medication record of a recently diagnosed pregnant patient?

A) Tetracycline
B) ACE inhibitor antihypertensive medication
C) Methotrexate
D) Isotretinoin (Accutane)
E) Oral contraceptives