Question 1

What are the properties of an ideal drug?&#10;A) Irreversible action&#10;B) Predictability&#10;C) Ease of administration&#10;D) Chemical stability&#10;E) A recognizable trade name

Accepted Answer

In addition to predictability, ease of administration, and chemical stability, other properties include a reversible action so that any harm the drug may cause can be undone and a simple generic name, because generic names are usually complex and difficult to remember and pronounce.

Question 2

Before administering a medication, what does the nurse need to know to evaluate how individual patient variability might affect the patient's response to the medication?&#10;A) Chemical stability of the medication&#10;B) Ease of administration&#10;C) Family medical history&#10;D) Patient's age&#10;E) Patient's diagnosis

Accepted Answer

The family medical history can indicate genetic factors that may affect a patient's response to a medication. Patients of different ages can respond differently to medications. The patient's illness can affect how drugs are metabolized. The chemical stability of the medication and the ease of administration are properties of drugs.

Question 3

A patient tells the nurse that an analgesic he will begin taking may cause drowsiness and will decrease pain up to 4 hours at a time. Based on this understanding of the drug's effects by the patient, the nurse will anticipate which outcome?

A) Decreased chance of having a placebo effect
B) Decreased motivation to take the drug
C) Improved compliance with the drug regimen
D) Increased likelihood of drug overdose

Accepted Answer

A drug is effective if it produces the intended effects, even if it also produces side effects. Patients who understand both the risks and benefits of taking a medication are more likely to comply with the drug regimen.

Question 4

What is a desired outcome when a drug is described as easy to administer?&#10;A) It can be stored indefinitely without need for refrigeration.&#10;B) It does not interact significantly with other medications.&#10;C) It enhances patient adherence to the drug regimen.&#10;D) It is usually relatively inexpensive to produce.

Accepted Answer

A major benefit of drugs that are easy to administer is that patients taking them are more likely to comply with the drug regimen. Drugs that are easy to give may have the other attributes listed, but those properties are independent of ease of administration.

Question 5

The nurse is teaching a patient how a medication works to treat an illness. To do this, the nurse will rely on knowledge of which topic?&#10;A) Clinical pharmacology&#10;B) Drug efficacy&#10;C) Pharmacokinetics&#10;D) Pharmacotherapeutics

Accepted Answer

Pharmacotherapeutics is the study of the use of drugs to diagnose, treat, and prevent conditions. Clinical pharmacology is concerned with all aspects of drug-human interactions. Drug efficacy measures the extent to which a given drug causes an intended effect. Pharmacokinetics is the study of the impact of the body on a drug.

Deck 1: Orientation to Pharmacology