Chapter 1: General Principles of Pharmacology - PrepU

The nurse shares with a client that some controlled substances can lead to psychological dependency and would cause which sign or symptom?

The person is compelled to take the medication for a pleasurable experience.

Drugs are classified according to what standard?

Their effects on particular body systems, therapeutic uses, and chemical characteristics

The nurse is preparing to discharge a client who has been prescribed a medication that has a narrow margin of safe dosage. What information is most important for the nurse to share with the client?

It is important to keep laboratory appointments for blood draws.

A prescriber reduces a dose of a medication because the client is unable to excrete a medication at a normal rate. Which body systems are responsible for accumulative effects of medications?

Liver and Kidney

When involved in phase III drug evaluation studies, what action should the nurse perform?

Monitor and observe clients closely for adverse effects.

A client with tuberculosis is prescribed pyrazinamide. The nurse should assess and monitor the client for which adverse reaction?

Myalgia

After teaching a group of nursing students about drug classes and categories, the instructor determines that the teaching was successful when the students identify legend drugs as referred to as which medication?

Prescription Drugs

Legend drugs refer to which of the following? (Choose one)

Prescription Drugs

Which type of dependence is a compulsion or craving to use a substance to obtain a pleasurable experience?

Psychological Dependence

The nurse is preparing a medication that is new to the market and cannot be found in the nurse's drug guide. How should the nurse obtain the most reliable information about this medication?

Read the package insert.

What is not a responsibility of the nurse administering a controlled substance to a hospitalized client?

Renewing expired controlled substance prescriptions

A nurse has noticed that a number of clients developed a rash after taking a certain medication. The nurse has documented the rash and has contacted each health care provider that has prescribed the drug. The nurse has also reported this issue to the health care facility pharmacist. What is the nurse's next best step in reporting this issue?

Report the adverse effect to the FDA (US Food and Drug Adminstration) website.

During phase I drug testing, a drug has been found to be therapeutic at concentrations of between 2.5 and 2.9 mEq/L with toxicity occurring at 3.1 mEq/L. What consequence of this finding should the nurse anticipate?

The drug will likely not proceed to phase II testing.

The nurse is caring for a client who is developing angioedema of the mouth and throat after administration of a drug. Which of the nurse's next actions is most important?

Notify the health care provider.

A client asks the nurse, "What is a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) number?" What is the nurse's best response?

"DEA numbers are given to physicians and pharmacists when they register with the DEA to prescribe and dispense controlled substances."

The client tells the nurse about a new drug being tested to treat the client's disease and asks the nurse whether the client can be prescribed a medication still in the pre-clinical phase of testing. What is the nurse's best response?

"Drugs in the pre-clinical phase of testing are tested only on animals and so would not be available to you."

A client has been prescribed a new medication but is skeptical about taking it after reading about potential risks in an online discussion forum. What is the nurse's best response?

"It's excellent that you're investigating your medications. Can I recommend some useful websites for you?"

The nurse, working on the maternity unit, receives a call from a pregnant woman asking how she can know whether a medication is safe to take while pregnant. What is the nurse's best response?

"Never take medication until you receive approval from your health care provider."

While collecting a medication history, the client admits to doubling the recommended dosage of acetaminophen, saying "It's harmless or they would require a prescription." What is the nurse's best response?

"OTC drugs are serious medications and carry serious risks if not taken as directed."

The nurse explains the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA's) schedule of controlled substances to the nursing assistant who asks, "Do you ever get a prescription for Schedule I medications?" What is the nurse's best response?

"Schedule I medications have no medical use so they are not prescribed."

A male client is discussing sleeping patterns with the nurse. The client tells the nurse that he is able to fall asleep with the prescribed medication but wakes up within one hour of falling asleep and cannot return to sleep. Which is the best statement by the nurse?

"This is an unusual reaction to the medication."

The nurse is caring for a client who had a severe, acute, previously unseen adverse effect of a drug in phase III testing. The client asks, "After all the testing done on this drug, didn't they know this adverse effect could occur?" What are appropriate responses by the nurse? (Select all that apply.)

"Your response to this medication will be reported to the drug company and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)." "When a drug begins to be used by a large clinical market, new adverse effects may be found."

In a hospital or other institution that dispenses controlled substances, the nurse would expect to count the scheduled drugs at which frequency?

8 to 12 hours

The newly diagnosed pregnant client was just told she is pregnant and is in her first trimester. She is concerned about what may harm the fetus. The nurse is aware what stage of pregnancy is at most risk for teratogenic effects from a drug?

8 weeks

The nurse is caring for an older adult and is teaching the client about medications. The nurse should address what topic during medication education?

Adverse Effects

The nurse is educating a client on over-the-counter (OTC) medications. What information is required to be placed on the label of the medication? (Select all that apply.)

Adverse Reactions Dosage of the Medication Contraindications to the Medication

Administering propranolol, a beta blocker, to a client taking albuterol, a beta agonist, could result in which type of drug reaction?

Antagonistic

A nurse determines that medications are known by different names.What are the different classifications of names assigned to medications? Select all that apply.

Chemical Name Generic Name Trade Name

Which is an example of a black box warning by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?

Difficulty breathing and maintaining an airway

The nurse is preparing to administer a medication from a multi-dose bottle. The label is torn and soiled but the name of the medication is still readable. What is the nurse's priority action?

Discard the entire bottle and contents and obtain a new bottle.

A nurse is responsible for maintaining an accurate count and record of the controlled substances on the nursing division. This nursing action is regulated by which law or agency?

Drug Enforcement Administration

Prescription practices of primary health care providers for controlled substances are monitored by which agency?

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)

The nurse is administering a medication to a client for treatment of insomnia. Approximately 30 minutes after receiving the medication, the client complains of nervousness and inability to fall asleep. The nurse knows that the client is most likely experiencing what type of drug reaction?

Drug Idiosyncrasy

The nurse receives an order to administer an unfamiliar medication and obtains a nurse's drug guide published four years earlier. What is the nurse's most prudent action?

Find a more recent reference source.

Which agency evaluates drugs that have completed phase III?

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The nurse is currently participating in phase IV of a clinical study of a chemotherapeutic drug. What action would the nurse be expected to perform during this phase of testing?

Gathering data from clients taking the drug after it has been released to market.

The nurse instructs the client that some drugs are no longer covered under patent and may be less expensive. What type of drug is the nurse describing?

Generic

What term is used to describe drugs identified by their chemical or official name in order to be independent of any manufacturer's assigned name?

Generic

A nurse is looking up a drug in the U.S. Pharmacopeia. The nurse would need to know which drug name?

Generic Name

A new drug has been created by altering DNA. What process has been utilized to create this drug?

Genetic Engineering

The nurse is working in a community outreach clinic. What should the nurse teach a client about over-the-counter medications?

OTC medications are not risk free.

Which drug type has been discovered but not manufactured by any drug company?

Orphan

What is the branch of pharmacology that uses drugs to treat, prevent, and diagnose disease?

Pharmacotherapeutics

A drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. What study phase would occur next?

Phase IV Study

The nurse counsels a group of teenagers that synergistic drug reactions (such as mixing alcohol and a hypnotic drug) can be fatal because of what drug-drug interaction?

This interaction occurs when drugs interact with each other and potentiates their combined effect.

The nurse is preparing to administer a subcutaneous injection to a client and notices that the client has developed lipodystrophy. The nurse knows that this will have what effect on the administration of this medication?

This will decrease absorption of the drug.

What is the primary purpose of American drug laws?

To protect the safety of the public

A drug being tested is removed from testing during a phase II study. What would be the most likely reason for the drug being removed from testing?

Unacceptable Adverse Effects