ATI RN
ATI N303 Pharmacology Exam Questions
Question 1 of 5
A nurse is administering a powdered medication to a client. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Check the client for allergies. This should be done first to ensure the safety of the client before administering any medication. Checking for allergies helps prevent potential adverse reactions and ensures the medication is suitable for the client. Mixing the medication at the bedside (choice
A), documenting the administration (choice
B), and determining the client's response (choice
C) should come after ensuring the client does not have any allergies to the medication.
Question 2 of 5
The nurse is preparing a medication for a client and observes the date of expiration on the vial occurred 2 months ago. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Discard the medication. Expired medication may have reduced potency or become ineffective, potentially causing harm to the client. The nurse's priority is client safety, so discarding the expired medication is the appropriate action.
Summary:
B: Giving the medication is unsafe.
C: Returning the medication does not address the safety concern.
D: Notifying the provider may be necessary, but immediate action to discard the expired medication is crucial.
Question 3 of 5
A nurse is caring for a client who has heart failure and a prescription for digoxin 125 mcg PO daily. Available is digoxin PO 0.25 mg/tablet. How many tablets should the nurse administer per dose? (Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: 0.5 tablets.
To calculate this, we first convert the prescribed dose of 125 mcg to mg by dividing by 1000 (125 mcg = 0.125 mg).
Then, we divide the total mg by the strength of each tablet (0.25 mg) to determine the number of tablets needed. In this case, 0.125 mg ÷ 0.25 mg = 0.5 tablets. This is the correct dosage as it aligns with the prescribed amount of digoxin. The other choices are incorrect because they do not accurately reflect the calculated dosage based on the prescription and tablet strength.
Question 4 of 5
A nurse is caring for a client who has heart failure and a prescription for digoxin. Which of the following statements by the client indicates an adverse effect of the medication?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. Nausea and loss of appetite are common adverse effects of digoxin, indicating toxicity. Digoxin can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, leading to decreased appetite and nausea. This can occur even when the medication is at therapeutic levels, making it important for the nurse to monitor the client closely for signs of toxicity. The other options are not indicative of digoxin toxicity. A backache could be due to other causes, increased urination may be a sign of improved cardiac output, and the ability to walk a mile a day indicates improved exercise tolerance.
Question 5 of 5
A nurse is reviewing laboratory results of a client who has atrial fibrillation and is taking warfarin. For which of the following results should the nurse notify the provider?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: PT 45 seconds. In a client taking warfarin for atrial fibrillation, a prolonged PT indicates a risk of bleeding due to excessive anticoagulation. The therapeutic range for PT for clients on warfarin is typically around 1.5-2 times the control value.
Therefore, a PT of 45 seconds is likely above the therapeutic range and requires immediate provider notification to adjust the warfarin dosage.
Other choices are within normal range for a client on warfarin therapy:
A: Platelets 190,000/mm3 - within normal range
C: Hgb 16 g/dL - within normal range
D: Hct 44% - within normal range
Therefore, these results do not pose an immediate risk to the client and do not require notification to the provider.