Question 1

When a drug is ordered for a client,what is the nurse responsible for knowing and understanding about the drug?

Accepted Answer

The nurse is responsible for knowing the name of the drug, its intended use, effects, contraindications, special considerations, and adverse effects. This information is crucial to ensure safe administration and monitoring of the client's response to the drug. Knowing the drug classification, gender considerations, and cost of therapy may also be helpful, but they are not as essential as the other information listed in option D.

Question 2

Chemical names are assigned for each drug.What are the major reasons for why nurses usually do not use the chemical name of the drugs?
Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

Chemical names are often long, complex, and difficult to pronounce, making them impractical for everyday use by healthcare professionals, including nurses.

Question 3

The trade name for a drug is usually selected to be short and easy to remember.What is the reason the nurse does not use the trade name for a drug?

Accepted Answer

A drug can have multiple trade names, which can lead to confusion and potential medication errors. Therefore, nurses should use the drug's generic name, which is the formal, official name assigned by the United States Adopted Names Council and is unique to that specific drug. This name is not subject to change or expiration and is universally recognized in the healthcare community.

Question 4

A client is admitted to the emergency department with high blood pressure.The health care provider orders a diuretic and tells the client this medication will lower the blood pressure by decreasing intravascular fluid volume.What does this description address?
Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A client is admitted to the emergency...

Question 5

Which principle best describes what the nurse is expected to understand when administering medication to a client?

Accepted Answer

The principle that best describes what the nurse is expected to understand when administering medication to a client is the pharmacotherapeutics for all of the medications. This includes understanding the therapeutic uses, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and potential adverse effects or interactions of each individual medication. Knowledge of trade and generic names, most common side effects, and cost are also important, but understanding the pharmacotherapeutics is crucial for safe and effective medication administration.

Question 6

Bioavailability can be different between the generic and trade versions of a drug.When is it not appropriate for a generic drug to be substituted for a trade version?

Accepted Answer

Generic substitution may not be appropriate for drugs with a narrow therapeutic index or critical care drugs, where minor differences in dose or bioavailability can have significant effects on the patient's health. Choices A, B, and C do not necessarily preclude generic substitution, as cost, onset of action, and inert ingredients can vary between different formulations of the same drug, whether generic or trade.

Question 7

Nursing students must memorize the generic names of drugs.What is the primary reason that generic names are used by health care providers over chemical and trade names?

Accepted Answer

There is only one generic name for each drug, and it is easier to remember than the chemical name.

Question 8

The nurse is creating a teaching plan for a client on the cardiac unit and is researching the medications the client is currently taking to understand how each drug produces its effects in the body.To find this information,the nurse looks up which classification for each medication?

Accepted Answer

Pharmacologic classification provides information on how a drug produces its effects in the body based on its chemical and physical properties, mechanism of action, and physiological effects. This understanding allows the nurse to explain the medication's effects and side effects to the client and monitor for potential adverse reactions. Therapeutic classification categorizes drugs based on their therapeutic use, such as analgesics or diuretics, which provides limited information on how the drug works in the body. Cardiac and disease classifications are not relevant in this context.

Question 9

Although all areas of medicine,including pharmacology,have made great advances in the last century,the early roots of pharmacology still apply for the nurse and other health professionals.What were the early roots of pharmacology?

Accepted Answer

The early roots of pharmacology were focused on using products to relieve human suffering. This included the use of herbal remedies and other natural products. While creating new drugs and understanding how they work are also important aspects of pharmacology, the focus on relieving suffering remains a core concept.

Question 10

A client is taking a medication for a condition whose indication is not listed and asks the nurse why the health care provider would prescribe this drug.Which response by the nurse is the most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

It is appropriate for the nurse to explain that medications may be used off-label for conditions not listed in their indication. This is a common practice in medicine and helps to broaden treatment options for patients. The nurse should provide education on the potential risks and benefits of off-label use and encourage the client to discuss any concerns with their healthcare provider. The other options are not entirely accurate, as medications can be used off-label and not all generic drugs are excluded from nursing drug handbooks.

Question 11

Which is one of the main reasons a pharmaceutical company might be granted an exclusive period to market and distribute a new drug?

Accepted Answer

Granting a pharmaceutical company an exclusive period to market and distribute a new drug allows them to recoup the costs of research and development, which can be significant. This incentive is meant to encourage the development of new drugs and treatments, as the costs associated with this process can be very high. This exclusive period is typically granted as a patent, and it prevents other companies from producing and selling the same drug for a set period of time.

Question 12

The client asks the charge nurse how the health care provider will decide which medication to prescribe.The nurses bases the response on which rationale regarding the ideal drug"?
Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The client asks the charge nurse how...

Question 13

The nurse is teaching a pharmacology class to a group of student nurses.Which key events does the nurse include in the history of pharmacology?
Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse is teaching a pharmacology class...

Question 14

The Food and Drug Administration classifies drugs by category,and these categories and drugs are found in the Orange Book." To find out which drugs treat hypertension,the nurse would look under which classification?

Accepted Answer

Hypertension is a disease, so the nurse would look under the Therapeutic classification in the Orange Book.

Question 15

Although many substances can be considered drugs,which drug definition is the most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

The most appropriate drug definition is any substance that is taken to prevent, cure, or reduce symptoms of a medical condition. This definition encompasses both natural and synthetic substances, as well as those that have undergone laboratory testing. It also focuses on the primary purpose of drugs, which is to address medical concerns and improve health outcomes. The other options (A, B, and D) do not adequately capture the full scope of what constitutes a drug.

Question 16

After successfully completing the pharmacology course,a student nurse tells the instructor that he is glad this difficult course is finished.What is the best response from the nursing instructor?

Accepted Answer

Pharmacology is a constantly evolving field, and it is essential to keep up-to-date with the latest advancements to meet the ever-changing requirements. It implies that an individual must have an ongoing learning process in pharmacology as it is essential for providing safe patient care.

Question 17

Before administering a drug,what pertinent information must the nurse obtain from the client?

Accepted Answer

Before administering a drug, the nurse must obtain pertinent information such as physical assessment, medical history, previous medications, and learning capabilities to ensure safe and effective drug administration. Medical history, growth and development level, and potential adverse effects of the medication are also important information to consider. The ability to pay for the medication is not a pertinent information that the nurse needs to obtain from the client.

Question 18

A prototype drug is a single drug in a class and can be compared with all other medications in the class.What are the benefits for the nurse to studying the prototype drug in predicting characteristics of other drugs in the same class?
Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A prototype drug is a single drug...

Question 19

Pharmacotherapy is a critical intervention for many conditions,and a key part of nursing intervention.Which statement best describes pharmacotherapy?

Accepted Answer

Pharmacotherapy refers to the use of drugs for the prevention and treatment of disease and human suffering. It involves the application of knowledge of pharmacology, therapeutics, and pharmacokinetics to select, administer, evaluate, and monitor drug therapy. The other options do not fully capture the scope and definition of pharmacotherapy.

Question 20

Bioavailability of a drug can be affected by many factors.Which factor does not affect the bioavailability of a drug?

Accepted Answer

Safety margin does not affect the bioavailability of a drug. Safety margin refers to the difference between the therapeutic dose and toxic dose of a drug, and therefore does not have an impact on how much of the drug is available to be absorbed into the body. Factors such as inert ingredients, rate of absorption, and tablet compression can all affect the bioavailability of a drug.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Pharmacology: Concepts and Connections