ATI Pharmacology Practice Assessment A
1. A nurse is instructing a client on the application of nitro-glycerine transdermal patches. Which
of the following statements by the client indicates an understanding of the teaching
Answer: I will take the patch off right after my evening meal
2. A nurse receives a verbal order from the provider to administer morphine 5 mg every 4 hours
subQ for sever pain as needed. The nurse should identify which of the following entries as the
correct format doe the medications administration record (MAR)
Answer: morphine 5 mg subcut every 4 hr PRN severe pain
3. A nurse is caring for a client who is taking acetazolamide for chronic open-angle glaucoma.
For which of the following adverse effects should the nurse instruct the client to monitor and
report?
Answer: tingling fingers
4. A nurse administers a dose of metformin to client instead of the prescribed dose of
metoclopramide. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Answer: check the client's blood glucose
5. A nurse is caring for a client who has cancer and is taking oral morphine and docusate sodium.
The nurse should instruct the client that taking the docusate sodium daily can minimize which of
the following adverse effects of morphine.
Answer: constipation
6. A nurse is assessing a client's vital signs prior to the administration of PO digoxin. The client's
BP is 144/86 mmHG, heart rate 55/min and respiratory rate is 20/min. The nurse should withhold
the medication and contact the provider for which of the following findings?
Answer: heart rate
7. A nurse is caring for a client who received 0.9% sodium chloride 1 L over 4 hr instead of over
8 hr as prescribed. Which of the following information should the nurse enter as a complete
documentation of the incident?
Answer: 0.9% sodium chloride 1L IV infused over 4 hr. Vital signs stable, provider notified
8. A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has peptic ulcer disease and is to start a new
prescription for sucralfate. Which of the following actions of sucralfate should the nurse include
in the teaching.
Answer: Sucralfate forms a protective barrier over the ulcer site to promote healing.
9. A nurse is reviewing the ECG of a client who is receiving IV furosemide for heart failure. The
nurse should identify which of the following findings as an indication of hypokalemia?
Answer: Presence of U waves
10. A nurse on the acute care unit is caring for a client who is receiving gentamicin IV. the nurse
should report which of the following findings to the provider as an adverse effect of the
medication?
Answer: tinnitus
11. A nurse is preparing to administer heparin subcutaneously to a client. Which of the following
actions should the nurse plan to take?
Answer: administer the medication outside the 5 cm radius of the umbilicus
12. A nurse at an urgent care clinic is collecting a history from a female client who has a urinary
tract infection. The nurse anticipates a prescription for ciprofloxacin. The nurse should identify
that which if the following client statements indicates a contraindication for administering this
medication?
Answer: I have tendonitis, so I haven't been able to exercise
13. A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results for a client who is receiving heparin via
continuous IV infusion for deep-vein thrombosis. The nurse should discontinue the medication
infusion for which of the following client findings?
Answer: Platelets 96,000/mm3
14. A nurse is caring for a client who is in labor. The client is receiving oxytocin by continuous
IV infusion with a maintenance IV solution. The external FHR monitor indicates late
decelerations. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Answer: Turn the client to a side-lying position
15. A nurse is preparing to administer medications to a client who tells the nurse, "I don't want to
take my fluid pill until I get home today" Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Answer: Document the refusal and inform the client's provider
16. A nurse at a clinic is providing follow-up care to a client who is taking fluoxetine for
depression. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an adverse effect of the
medication?
Answer: sexual dysfunction
17. A nurse is preparing to administer PO sodium polystrene sulfonate to a client who has
hyperkalemia. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?
Answer: monitor the client for constipation
18. A nurse is preparing to administer a scheduled antibiotic at 0800 to a client and discovers the
antibiotic is not present in the client's medication drawer. the nurse should identify that
administration of the medication can occur at which of the following time periods without
requiring an incident report?
Answer: 0830
19. A nurse is planning care for a client who is prescribed metoclopramide following bowel
surgery. For which of the following adverse effects should the nurse monitor
Answer: sedation
20. A nurse is teaching a client who is to start taking hydrocodone with acetaminophen tablets for
pain. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the teaching?
Answer: decreased respirations might occur
21. A nurse is providing teaching to a client who is taking bupropion as an aid to quit smoking.
Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an adverse effect of the medication
Answer: insomnia
22. A nurse is administering donepezil to a client who has Alzheimer's disease Which of the
following findings should the nurse report to the provider immediately take aspirin while taking
Warfarin. Which of the following responses should the nurse make?
Answer: dyspnea
23. A nurse is preparing to administer dextrose 5% in water D5W 400 ml IV to infuse over 1 hr.
The drop factor of the manual IV tubing is 15 gtt/ml. The nurse should set the manual IV
infusion to deliver how many gtt/min? (round the answer to the nearest whole number. Use a
leading zero if it applies
Answer: 100 gtt/min
24. A nurse is teaching a client about cyclobenzaprine. which of the following client statements
should indicate to the nurse that the teaching is effective?
Answer: I will taper of the medication before discontinuing
25. A nurse is providing teaching to a client who is to begin taking oxybutynin for urinary
incontinence. Which of the following adverse effects should the nurse include in the teaching?
Answer:• dry mouth
• blurred vision
• dry eyes
26. A nurse is preparing to administer medication to a client who has gout. The nurse discovers
that an error was made during the previous shift and the client received atenolol instead of
allopurinol. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Answer: obtain the client's blood pressure
27. A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has multiple sclerosis and a new prescription for
methylprednisolone. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
Answer: Blood glucose levels will be monitored during therapy avoid contact with people who
have known infection grapefruit juice can increase the effects of the medication
28. A nurse is assessing a client who has schizophrenia and is taking haloeridol. The nurse should
report which of the following findings to the provider as a manifestation of neuroleptic malignant
syndrome NMS?
Answer: temperature of 39.7 C (103.5 F)
29. A nurse is teaching a group of unit nurses about medication reconciliation. Which of the
following information should the nurse include in the teaching?
Answer: a transition in care requires the nurse to conduct medication reconciliation
30. A nurse is caring for 20 year old female client who has a prescription for isotretinoin for
severe nodulocystic acne vulgaris. Before the client can obtain a refill, the nurse should advise
the client that which of the following tests is required?
Answer: pregnancy test
31. A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving heparin therapy via continuous IV infusion to
treat a pulmonary embolism. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an
adverse effect of the medication and report to the provider?
Answer: blood in the urine
32. A nurse is planning care for a client who has hypertension and is to start taking metoprolol.
Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan of care?
Answer: determine apical pulse prior to administering
33. A nurse is assessing a client 1 hr after administering morphine for pain. The nurse should
identify which of the following findings as the best indication that the morphine has been
effective?
Answer: The client rates pain as 3 on a scale from 0-10
34. A nurse is providing discharge instructions to a client who has heart failure and a new
prescription for captopril. Which of the following client statements indicates an understanding of
the teaching?
Answer: I should tell my provider if I develop a sore throat
35. A nurse is planning care for a client who is receiving mannitol via continuous IV infusion.
The nurse should monitor the client for which of the following adverse effects?
Answer: bibasilar crackles
36. A nurse is assessing a client who has myasthenia gravis and is taking neostigmine. Which of
the following findings should indicate to the nurse that the client is experiencing an adverse
effect?
Answer: miosis
37. A nurse is caring for a client who has acute acetaminophen toxicity. The nurse should
anticipate administering which of the following medication?
Answer: acetylcysteine
38. A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has a prescription for ergotamine sublingual to
treat migraine headaches. Which of the following information should the nurse include in the
instructions?
Answer: take one tablet at onset of migraine
39. A nurse is reviewing the medication administration record of a client who has hypocalcemia
and a new prescription for IV calcium gluconate. The nurse should identify that which of the
following medications can interact with calcium gluconate?
Answer: digoxin
40. A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a client whose family reports the client has
taken large amounts of diazepam. Which of the following medications should the nurse
anticipate administering?
Answer: flumazenil
41. A nurse is collecting a medication history from a client who has a new prescription for
lithium. The nurse should identify that the client should discontinue which of the following overthe-counter medications?
Answer: ibuprofen
42. A nurse is developing a teaching plan for a client who has a new prescription for simvastatin.
Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching plan.
Answer: report muscle pain to the provider avoid taking the medication with grapefruit juice
expect therapy with this medication to be lifelong
43. A nurse is caring for the parent of a newborn. The parent asks the nurse when their newborn
should receive the first diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine DTaP. The nurse should instruct
the parent that their newborn should receive the immunization at which of the following ages?
Answer: 2 months
44. A nurse is reviewing the medication list of a client who wants to begin taking oral
contraceptives. The nurse should identify that which of the following client medications will
interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives?
Answer: carbamazepine
45. A nurse is providing teaching to a client who is to start treatment for asthma bethmethasone
and albuterol inhalers. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the
teaching?
Answer: rinse your mouth after inhaling the beclomethasone
46. A nurse is planning to teach about the use of spacer to a child who has a new prescription for
a fluticasone inhaler to treat chronic asthma. The nurse should include that spacer decreases the
risk for which of the following adverse effects of the medications.
Answer: oral candidiasis
47. A nurse is an emergency department is caring for a client who has myasthenia gravis and is in
a cholinergic crisis. Which of the following medications should the nurse plan to administer?
Answer: atropine
48. A nurse is an emergency department is caring for a client who has heroin toxicity. The client
is unresponsive with pinpoint pupils and respiratory rate of 6/min. Which of the following
medications should the nurse plan to administer?
Answer: naloxone
49. A nurse is providing teaching to a client who has a gastric ulcer and a new prescription for
ranitidine. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
Answer: report yellowing of the skin
50. A nurse is assessing a client who is postoperative following an outpatient endoscopy
procedure using midazolam. The nurse should monitor for which of the following findings as an
indication that the client is ready for discharge?
Answer: a client's capnography has returned to baseline
51. A nurse is assessing a client after administering a second dose of cefazolin IV. The nurse
notes the client has anxiety, hypotension and dyspnea. Which of the following medications
should the nurse administer first?
Answer: epinephrine
52. A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving oprelvekin. Which of the following findings
should the nurse document to indicate the effectiveness of the therapy?
Answer: increased platelet count
53. A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing acute alcohol withdrawal. For which of the
following client outcomes should the nurse administer chlordiazepoxide?
Answer: prevent delirium tremens
54. A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who is taking digoxin for heart failure.
Which of the following results should the nurse report to provider?
Answer: potassium level 2.8 mEq/L
55. A nurse is providing discharge teaching about handling medication to a client who is to
continue taking oral transmucosal fentanyl raspberry-flavoured lozenges on a stick. Which of the
following information should the nurse include in the teaching?
Answer: store unused medication sticks in a storage container
56. A nurse is assessing a client who is taking propylthiouracil for the treatment of Graves
disease. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an indication that the
medication has been effective?
Answer: increase in ability to fucus
57. A nurse is teaching a client who is to begin taking tamoxifen for the treatment of breast
cancer. Which of the following adverse effects should the nurse include in the teaching?
Answer: hot flashes
58. A nurse is preparing to administer ciprofloxacin 15mg/kg PO every 12 hr to a child who
weighs 44 lb. How many mg should the nurse administer per dose?
Answer: 300mg/dose
59. A nurse is teaching a client about the use of risedronate for the treatment of osteoporosis. The
nurse should identify which of the following statements as an indication that the client
understands the teaching?
Answer: "I will take this medication first thing in the morning with a full glass of water and wait
at least 30 minutes before eating."
