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Quizzes > Quizzes for Business > Healthcare

Master the Nursing Pharmacology Knowledge Quiz

Assess Your Pharmacology and Drug Administration Skills

Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 20
Learning OutcomesStudy Material

Ready to challenge yourself with a nursing pharmacology quiz that sharpens medication administration and dosage calculation skills? Joanna Weib welcomes nursing students and RNs to explore their strengths with an engaging Pharmacology Knowledge Quiz that tests key concepts. This interactive format offers instant feedback on drug actions, safety protocols, and clinical decision-making. Feel free to personalize the questions in our editor and check out more quizzes to broaden your study resources. For additional practice, consider the Pharmacology and Nursing Documentation Knowledge Test.

Which drug class does metoprolol belong to?
Calcium channel blocker
Thiazide diuretic
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor
Beta-adrenergic blocker
Metoprolol is a selective beta1-adrenergic blocker commonly used to treat hypertension and heart failure by decreasing heart rate and myocardial contractility.
A prescription reads 'Take 0.5 g of medication every 8 hours.' What is the total daily dose?
1 g
2 g
1.5 g
0.5 g
The patient takes 0.5 g three times a day (every 8 hours), so the total daily dose is 0.5 g × 3 = 1.5 g.
Which of the following is a common adverse effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors?
Dry cough
Hypokalemia
Diarrhea
Bradycardia
ACE inhibitors increase bradykinin levels, which often leads to a persistent dry cough in some patients.
Which of the following is NOT one of the 'Six Rights' of medication administration?
Right time
Right indication
Right patient
Right dose
The Six Rights are patient, medication, dose, route, time, and documentation. 'Right indication' is not one of the original six.
Which pharmacokinetic process describes the movement of a drug from the bloodstream into tissues?
Distribution
Absorption
Excretion
Metabolism
Distribution refers to the reversible transfer of a drug from the bloodstream into tissues and fluids of the body.
How do loop diuretics, such as furosemide, primarily exert their effect?
Block Na-Cl cotransporter in the distal tubule
Increase calcium reabsorption in the distal tubule
Inhibit Na-K-2Cl symporter in the ascending loop of Henle
Inhibit carbonic anhydrase in the proximal tubule
Loop diuretics inhibit the Na-K-2Cl symporter in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle, leading to potent diuresis.
A patient weighing 50 kg is prescribed a drug at 2 mg/kg IV. What is the appropriate dose?
200 mg
50 mg
150 mg
100 mg
The dose is calculated as 2 mg/kg × 50 kg = 100 mg.
Which combination of medications increases the risk of hyperkalemia?
ACE inhibitor + potassium-sparing diuretic
Loop diuretic + thiazide diuretic
Beta-blocker + calcium channel blocker
NSAID + proton pump inhibitor
ACE inhibitors reduce aldosterone secretion and potassium-sparing diuretics prevent potassium excretion, both raising serum potassium levels.
Before administering digoxin, the nurse should assess which parameter?
Respiratory rate
Blood glucose
Body temperature
Apical pulse rate
Digoxin can cause bradycardia; checking the apical pulse ensures the rate is safe before administration.
What term describes the time required for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by 50%?
Clearance
Half-life
Volume of distribution
Bioavailability
Half-life (t₝/₂) is the time it takes for the plasma concentration of a drug to fall to half its initial value.
A patient is on warfarin therapy. Which laboratory test is most important to monitor?
International Normalized Ratio (INR)
Serum creatinine
Blood glucose
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
INR measures the extrinsic coagulation pathway and guides warfarin dosing to maintain therapeutic anticoagulation.
Morphine produces analgesia primarily by which mechanism?
Agonism at µ-opioid receptors
Inhibition of COX enzymes
Blockade of sodium channels
Antagonism at NMDA receptors
Morphine binds to and activates µ-opioid receptors in the central nervous system, producing analgesia and euphoria.
An IV infusion of 1000 mL solution containing 40 mEq of KCl is ordered to run over 8 hours. At what rate (mL/hr) should the nurse set the pump?
80 mL/hr
100 mL/hr
150 mL/hr
125 mL/hr
Total volume 1000 mL over 8 hours requires a pump rate of 1000 mL ÷ 8 hr = 125 mL/hr.
A patient on a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) eats aged cheese. Which adverse event is most likely?
Hypoglycemia
Agranulocytosis
Serotonin syndrome
Hypertensive crisis
MAOIs block breakdown of tyramine, which in aged cheese can accumulate and precipitate a severe hypertensive crisis.
Two drugs produce opposite effects by acting at separate receptors. This interaction is called:
Noncompetitive antagonism
Physiologic agonism
Functional antagonism
Competitive antagonism
Functional antagonism occurs when two drugs act at different receptors or pathways to produce opposing physiological effects.
If renal clearance of a drug is reduced by half in kidney impairment and volume of distribution remains constant, how is the drug's half-life affected?
It doubles
It remains unchanged
It is halved
It decreases to one-quarter
Half-life (t₝/₂) is inversely related to clearance (Cl). Halving clearance while Vd is constant doubles the half-life.
A drug has a volume of distribution of 20 L. To achieve a target plasma concentration of 8 mg/L, what loading dose is required?
160 mg
40 mg
320 mg
80 mg
Loading dose = Vd × target concentration = 20 L × 8 mg/L = 160 mg.
Co-administration of erythromycin with simvastatin primarily increases simvastatin levels by inhibiting which enzyme?
CYP2D6
CYP3A4
CYP1A2
CYP2C19
Erythromycin inhibits CYP3A4, the main enzyme responsible for simvastatin metabolism, leading to increased drug levels and risk of toxicity.
For therapeutic drug monitoring of theophylline, when should the blood sample be drawn to measure peak concentration?
6 hours after administration
2 hours after administration
30 minutes after administration
Just before the next dose
Peak theophylline concentrations typically occur around 2 hours after oral administration, making it the appropriate time for sampling.
A patient on long-term lithium therapy requires regular monitoring. Which laboratory test is essential due to lithium's narrow therapeutic index?
Serum sodium levels
Liver function tests
Blood ammonia
Platelet count
Lithium is excreted by the kidneys and competes with sodium; changes in serum sodium can dramatically alter lithium levels and risk toxicity.
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Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse common drug classifications and their mechanisms of action
  2. Identify appropriate dosage calculations for various patient scenarios
  3. Evaluate potential drug interactions and adverse effects
  4. Apply safe medication administration protocols in nursing practice
  5. Demonstrate understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics principles
  6. Master critical monitoring parameters for key therapeutic agents

Cheat Sheet

  1. Basic Dosage Formula Mastery - Become a formula whiz with Desired Dose ÷ Stock Dose × Volume of Stock = Dose to Administer - your secret recipe for spot-on dosing every time. For example, when a patient needs 500 mg and your vial has 250 mg in 5 mL, you'll confidently draw up 10 mL. Mastering Drug Dosage Calculations
  2. Ratio and Proportion Method - Turn dosage problems into simple cross-multiplication puzzles! Set the known dose against its quantity and match it to your desired dose over an unknown volume, then solve for the missing piece. Dosage Calculation - Ratio and Proportion Method
  3. Dimensional Analysis Magic - Wave goodbye to unit confusion with a step-by-step unit-cancellation approach. Line up your conversion factors, let the units drop out, and reveal the exact dose your patient needs. Dosage Calculation - Dimensional Analysis Method
  4. Metric Conversion Basics - Memorize key swaps like 1 g = 1 000 mg and 1 L = 1 000 mL to breeze through any calculation. With these conversions at your fingertips, you'll never break a sweat converting between units. Common Drug Calculations
  5. Weight-Based Dosing - Especially critical in pediatrics, multiply the patient's weight in kilograms by the ordered mg/kg dose to nail the dose every time. A 20 kg child needing 10 mg/kg? That's an easy 200 mg. Mastering Drug Dosage Calculations
  6. IV Flow Rate Calculations - Calculate flow rates fast: Total Volume (mL) ÷ Time (hours) = Flow Rate (mL/hour). IV drip orders like 1 000 mL over 8 hours instantly become 125 mL/hour - set your pump and relax! Mastering Drug Dosage Calculations
  7. Body Surface Area Dosing - Get chemotherapeutic and pediatric doses just right by using BSA formulas that factor in height and weight. This tailored method helps avoid under- or overdosing in sensitive patients. Dosage Calculations - Pharmacology for Nurses
  8. Safe Medication Protocols - Follow the "Five Rights" (right patient, drug, dose, route, time) like a pro to keep errors at bay. This simple checklist is your ultimate safety net in any clinical setting. Dosing - Medicine LibreTexts
  9. Pharmacokinetics Principles - Dive into absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion to predict how drugs travel through the body. Understanding these steps makes you a dosing detective, spotting adjustments before they become problems. Dosage Calculations - Pharmacology for Nurses
  10. Drug Interactions Awareness - Stay on high alert for interaction red flags by reviewing every medication on a patient's list. Early detection of adverse effects keeps your patients safe and your confidence sky-high. Drug Calculations
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