ATI RN
Pharmacology Assessment 2 ATI Capstone Questions
Question 1 of 5
A patient's chart includes an order that reads as follows: 'Lanoxin 250 mcg once daily at 0900.' Which action by the nurse is correct?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Lanoxin (digoxin) is a medication commonly used to treat heart failure and arrhythmias. The order specifies the dosage and timing but does not indicate the route of administration. Since digoxin can be administered orally, intravenously, or intramuscularly, the nurse must clarify the route with the prescriber to ensure safe and accurate administration. Administering the medication via the wrong route could lead to serious complications, such as toxicity or ineffective treatment. Therefore, contacting the prescriber for clarification is the correct and safest action for the nurse to take.
Question 2 of 5
The client tells the nurse that her symptoms have become worse since she has been using oxymetazoline (Afrin) for nasal congestion. What is the best assessment question for the nurse to ask?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Oxymetazoline causes rebound congestion if used beyond 3-5 days. Asking 'How long have you been using the medication?' identifies misuse, the likely cause of worsening symptoms. Bottle age , temperature , and other medications are secondary. D targets the root issue, making it the best question.
Question 3 of 5
Aspirin:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, is metabolized to salicylic acid and acetic acid, not acetone, making the hydrolysis statement false. At low doses, it follows first-order kinetics, where elimination rate is proportional to concentration, a true statement reflecting its predictable clearance under therapeutic levels. It's primarily conjugated in the liver (e.g., to salicyluric acid), but excreted mainly via urine, not bile, so that's false. Aspirin irreversibly inhibits cyclooxygenase (COX) by acetylating it, unlike reversible NSAIDs, making that option false. The correct answer highlights aspirin's pharmacokinetic behavior at low doses, critical for its use in analgesia or cardioprotection, where steady-state effects depend on consistent elimination, contrasting with zero-order kinetics at overdose levels.
Question 4 of 5
A 57-year-old man with a history of intermittent angina normally takes sublingual nitroglycerin when attacks occur. He states that he does not take this medication because it makes him feel 'funny... itch uncontrollably... and have pain radiating to his toes.' These symptoms have never been witnessed by his family members who are with him all the time. What is the best course of action for the treating physician to take?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Unusual nitroglycerin reactions (itching, toe pain) unwitnessed by family suggest noncompliance or psychogenic issues. Encourage use and explore reasons . Psychiatric or behavioral consults are premature. Switching or antipsychotics (E) ignores clarification. This approach ensures proper angina management.
Question 5 of 5
The ophthalmologist asks the nurse to prepare to assist in the administration of tetracaine, fluorescein stain, and atropine for a diagnostic eye examination. Before assisting in the procedure, it is most important for the nurse to inform the ophthalmologist if the patient has a history of which condition?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Atropine is a mydriatic agent that dilates the pupil and can precipitate angle-closure glaucoma in patients with a narrow anterior chamber angle. Therefore, it is critical to inform the ophthalmologist if the patient has a history of angle-closure glaucoma. Cataracts (A), open-angle glaucoma (C), and macular degeneration (D) are not contraindications for the use of atropine.