Deck 3: Principles of Drug Administration

Question 1

A patient has an increased reaction to a drug following a change in her dietary habits.Which of the following changes would most likely be the cause?
1)Increased intake of grapefruit juice
2)Reduced intake of alcohol
3)Increased fiber intake
4)Reduced intake of citrus fruit

Answer 1

1

Question 2

Placement of a tablet between the cheek and gum would be which route?
1)Buccal
2)Oral
3)Transdermal
4)Sublingual

Answer 2

1

Question 3

The nurse administers an oral preparation of liquid Tylenol 650 mg as ordered.Afterward,the patient indicates he had been receiving Tylenol 650 mg in pill form.Which of the following is accurate in regards to the five rights?
1)The nurse failed to deliver the correct dose.
2)The nurse failed to administer the right medication.
3)The nurse did not violate the five rights.
4)The nurse failed to give the medication via the correct route.

Answer 3

3

Question 4

The nurse uses the nursing process prior to administering any medications.Which step will assure the best patient safety?
1)Assess the patient's developmental level.
2)Assess the patient's medical history.
3)Assess the patient's disease process.
4)Assess the patient's learning needs.

Question 5

Five milliliters is equivalent to
1)2 tablespoons.
2)1 fluid ounce.
3)15 drops.
4)1 teaspoon.

Question 6

What is the best plan as the nurse prepares to administer a topical medication?
1)Check the medication for interactions with other medications.
2)Take the patient's vital signs.
3)Educate the patient to not disturb the patch.
4)Assess the patient's skin where the medication will be applied.

Question 7

The patient is 3 days postop,and the physician orders an oral pain medication.The patient asks the nurse if it wouldn't be better to get the medication in the intravenous (IV)line.What is the best response by the nurse?
1)"No,because you could not medicate yourself intravenously (IV)at home."
2)"No,because pills are more effective than intravenous (IV)medications."
3)"No,because pills are safer than intravenous (IV)medications."
4)"No,because we are going to take your intravenous (IV)line out."

Question 8

The physician prescribes an oral medication for the patient.What is the primary nursing assessment of the patient prior to receiving this medication?
1)The patient's understanding of the medication
2)The patient's ability to swallow
3)The patient's allergies
4)The patient's eyesight

Question 9

The physician ordered an intravenous medication for a patient with nausea.The patient asks the nurse how it will help his nausea.What is the best response by the nurse?
1)"We have more intravenous drugs for nausea than we do oral drugs."
2)"If you take an oral medication,you will just vomit it up."
3)"This will work much faster for your nausea."
4)"You can't have anything by mouth,so will receive the medication intravenously."

Question 10

The patient is having chest pain.The physician orders sublingual nitroglycerine STAT.The nurse obtains the medication from the pharmacy and administers it to the patient 30 minutes later.Which statement best describes the nurse's action?
1)The medication should have been administered immediately.
2)The physician should have specified the time frame for the medication.
3)The medication should have been administered within a 5-minute time frame.
4)The nursing action was correct because the medication was not on the unit.

Question 11

An order for a medication to be given prn means
1)as needed.
2)every day.
3)at bedtime.
4)with food.

Question 12

The physician has ordered several medications for the patient.What does the nurse recognize as responsibilities regarding administration of medications? Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
1)Knowing whether or not the medication is on the hospital formulary
2)Knowing the reason the medication was prescribed for this patient
3)Knowing how the medication is to be administered.
4)Knowing how the medication is supplied by the pharmacy
5)Knowing the name of the medication

Question 13

While in the hospital,the pediatric patient has been receiving amoxicillin 10 mL orally bid,pc.The child will be going home on this medication.What is the best instruction by the nurse for the parents?
1)Give 2 teaspoons by mouth,3 times a day,on an empty stomach.
2)Give 2 teaspoons by mouth,twice a day,after meals.
3)Give 2 teaspoons by mouth,3 times a day,after meals.
4)Give 2 teaspoons by mouth,twice a day,with meals.

Question 14

The physician orders enteric-coated aspirin,300 mg every day,for the patient with a nasogastric tube.What is the priority action by the nurse?
1)Crush the tablet,dissolve it in 30 mL of water,and administer through the tube.
2)Put the tablet in the tube,"milk" it down the tube,and then flush the tube with 60 mL of water.
3)Withhold the medication and contact the physician.
4)Substitute plain aspirin,dissolve it in 30 mL of water,and administer through the tube.

Question 15

The nurse is preparing medications prior to administration.To promote patient safety,the nurse uses "rights" of drug administration.What do these "rights" include? Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
1)The right medication
2)The right time of delivery
3)The right dose
4)The right route of administration
5)The right patient

Question 16

The nurse plans to administer heparin by drawing the heparin up in an appropriate syringe,donning gloves,prepping the patient's abdominal area,injecting the needle,aspirating for blood,and injecting the medication.Which statement best describes the nurse's plan?
1)The nurse does not need to wear gloves.
2)The nurse should not aspirate for blood.
3)The nurse does not need to prep the skin.
4)The nurse performed the injection correctly.

Question 17

The nurse suspects that the patient has not been taking his prescribed antihypertensive medication because the patient's blood pressure remains elevated.What is the best therapeutic the nurse can ask that will assess noncompliance?
1)"Taking medication is difficult for many people.What are some of your concerns about the medication?"
2)"Your blood pressure is really high;do you realize the serious consequences of not taking your medication?"
3)"I really doubt that you are taking your medication.What would you think about talking to the doctor?"
4)"You are one of my favorite patients and I want you to be safe.Are you really taking your medication?"

Question 18

A patient who recently returned from surgery is experiencing nausea.Which statement best explains why this patient would benefit from IV medication administration?
1)The IV is already in place following the surgery.
2)IV medication administration should be avoided in patients with nausea.
3)Medications are more effective when given IV.
4)IV medications bypass the need for GI absorption.

Question 19

The patient is receiving a sustained-release capsule for his cardiac condition.The patient tells the nurse there is no way he can swallow such a large pill.What is the best response by the nurse?
1)"Withhold the medication and contact the physician."
2)"Place the capsule on the back of the patient's tongue,and have him drink a full glass of water."
3)"Open the capsule and sprinkle the contents over applesauce."
4)"Encourage the patient to try and swallow the capsule because it is the best medication for his heart condition."

Question 20

The physician ordered an oral medication.The nurse incorrectly administered the medication intravenously.What does the best analysis of the nurse's action reveal?
1)An antidote cannot be given.
2)The nurse will be terminated from her job.
3)The medication cannot be retrieved.
4)A lawsuit by the patient will be impending.

Question 21

Which patients should the nurse be concerned about regarding nonadherence to prescribed medication regimens? Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
1)A 70-year-old hypertensive male patient who has a prescription for a diuretic and is complaining that his medication is keeping him up all night
2)A 30-year-old college student who has a prescription for birth control pills and tells the nurse she has had breakthrough bleeding this past cycle
3)A 45-year-old diabetic who has a prescription for insulin and whose blood sugar is within the normal range
4)A 57-year-old day laborer who has a prescription for Lipitor for high cholesterol and a prescription card for a free health clinic
5)An 18-year-old male with a prescription for an acne medication that must be taken 4 times a day

Question 22

Which of the following is accurate regarding medication administration via the intradermal route?
1)Injections should be limited to 1-2 milliliters.
2)Hairy sites should be avoided.
3)Usual administration sites include the upper and lower abdomen.
4)Medications should be injected into the epidermis skin layer.

Question 23

The nurse has finished teaching a patient's husband how to administer drugs and enteral feeding through a gastrostomy tube.The nurse knows the husband understands the use of the tube when he makes which statement? Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
1)"My wife has a gastrostomy tube instead of a nasogastric tube because she will have the tube for a long time."
2)"I will need to use liquid medications.If any of the medications are in pill form,I will use the pill crusher to crush them and mix them with water before putting them in the tube."
3)"This medication says it is enteric coated.I'm not supposed to crush this kind of medication.I will need to ask the doctor to substitute another medication that is liquid or can be crushed."
4)"There's a big difference in how the drugs work in the body when they're taken orally and when they're administered through the tube.That's why my wife has to have this tube."
5)"I have to be very careful to flush the tube after I put medication in it.If I don't,the tube could get clogged."

Question 24

A patient has been referred to an allergist for allergy testing.Which parenteral routes would the nurse not expect to be used for the tests? Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
1)The intradermal (ID)route
2)The subcutaneous route
3)The intramuscular (IM)route
4)The intravenous (IV)route
5)The buccal route

Question 25

A patient admitted to the hospital tells the nurse she is very nervous about getting all her medications while she is in the hospital because her health care provider has her on a very "strict" schedule.Which principles describe how medication dosing schedules are determined? Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
1)The physical and biologic characteristics of a drug may determine dosing schedule.
2)Specific times may improve effectiveness and decrease risk of adverse effects.
3)Some drugs must be taken a certain time prior to an event or immediately after an event.
4)Dosing may be set for the convenience of patient and nurse.
5)Hospitals have routine dosing intervals so that all patients receive medications at the same time each day.

Question 26

The nurse is caring for a patient who has been involved in a motor vehicle crash.The health care provider has written orders for a transdermal patch for pain to be applied for steady pain control.The nurse knows that Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
1)the transdermal patch should not be applied to areas of abrasion.
2)transdermal medications undergo the first-pass effect in the liver.
3)transdermal medications completely bypass digestive enzymes.
4)the actual dose received by the patient from this pain patch may vary.
5)transdermal patches are not considered an effective means of delivering medications because the rate of delivery and actual dose can vary.

Question 27

A patient at a community health center has been prescribed oral medications and tells the nurse that medications were administered intravenously when the patient was in the hospital.The nurse discusses the benefits and disadvantages of oral medications,including which facts? Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
1)The oral route is considered the second safest route,after the intradermal route.
2)Tablets that are scored may be crushed for easier swallowing.
3)Enteric-coated drugs are designed to dissolve in the stomach,not the small intestine.
4)A major disadvantage of oral medications is that the patient must be conscious and able to swallow.
5)Enteric-coated drugs should be crushed to help facilitate dissolving by the stomach acid.