Pharm Week 1

A nurse is caring for a patient who has an infection. The healthcare provider has ordered an antimicrobial drug for the patient. The nurse understands that which of the following is the most important characteristic of this drug?

• A.That the drug will kill the microorganism

• B. That the drug will be administered orally

• C.That the drug does not have any harmful effects

• D.That the drug does not interact with other drugs

A patient who was prescribed an oral medication to be taken four times per day returns to the clinic for a follow-up visit. The patient tells the nurse that he forgets to take two or three doses of the medication each day. What is the most appropriate action that the nurse can take?

• Arranging for the patient to have a home healthcare nurse

• Telling the patient to set an alarm as a reminder to take the drug

• Determining wether the patient is experiencing any adverse effects

• Re-educating the patient about the medication and how it should be taken

A patient with cancer is receiving morphine for pain control. The patient calls the nurse to report that the morphine is no longer controlling his pain. What is the most appropriate response by the nurse?

• "Increasing the dose of morphine will make you so sleepy that you will not be able to function.”

• “This means that you have developed a psychological addiction to morphine.”

• “You have developed a tolerance to morphine and will need a higher dose.”

• “It is recommended that we wait to increase the morphine until the pain is more severe.”

A patient was discharged from the hospital with instructions to take an antibiotic for 7 days to treat a bladder infection. Twelve days later, a home care nurse visits the patient and finds that the symptoms have not resolved. What is the most important question for the nurse to ask?

• "Do you think you have another bladder infection?"

• "Have you taken all of the antibiotics as directed?"

• "How much water have you been drinking each day?"

• "What antibiotic do you usually take to treat an infection?"

While preparing to administer medications to a patient, the nurse finds that he does not understand the rationale for the patient receiving one of the prescribed drugs. What should he do?

• Ask the patient why this medication has been ordered

• Ask another nurse why the patient is getting this medication.

• Research the medication, focusing on its therapeutic uses.

• Verify with the prescribing healthcare provider the reason for the medication.

When the nurse reviews a medication order, it is not clear what route should be used for administration. Which action by the nurse is best?

• Use a current drug reference resource to determine the administration route

• Administer the drug via the oral route.

• Contact the pharmacist for clarification.

• Call the prescriber to verify the route

The nurse administered 2 mg of morphine intravenously to a postoperative patient. In addition to following the Rights of Drug Administration, what responsibility does the nurse have as a patient advocate?

• To inform visitors that the patient has received morphine

• To minimize adverse effects by reducing the next dose of morphine

• To know the possible reactions to morphine

• To administer the drug as often as possible

A nurse is administering a drug that is categorized as Schedule IV. The nurse understands that this means the drug:

• Has acceptable medical applications with low potential for abuse.

• Has the potential for serious and life-threatening adverse effects.

• Is dangerous to administer to pregnant or breast-feeding patients.

• Is a controlled substance with no accepted medical use.

The nurse is preparing a list of medications to give to a patient who is being discharged from the hospital. The nurse should use which drug name for each medication?

• Classification name

• Chemical name

• Generic name

• Trade name

A nurse is preparing to administer epinephrine to a patient who is having a severe allergic reaction. Which route of administration should the nurse use to provide the fastest and most complete absorption of epinephrine?

• Intraveneous

• Oral

• Intramuscular

• Subcutaneous