ATI LPN
ATI LPN Pharmacology Exam I Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
A nurse is preparing to administer a tablet to the patient. When should the nurse remove the medication from its unit dose package?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Removing in the medication room risks mix-ups; tablets could be dropped or misidentified before reaching the patient, compromising the three-check safety protocol. Outside the door is premature; without the patient present, verification against the MAR is incomplete, increasing error risk before final identity confirmation. At the cart is too early; medication stays packaged until bedside to ensure the right patient, right drug match, reducing handling errors or contamination. Bedside removal allows final MAR check with patient ID; it ensures accuracy, prevents mix-ups, and aligns with safety standards for administering oral medications.
Question 2 of 5
The nurse is to administer the patient's next dose of vancomycin at 9:30 a.m. What time will the nurse draw the patient's blood to check the trough vancomycin level?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Drawing at 8:30 a.m., 60 minutes before, is too early; trough levels, taken just before the next dose, reflect minimum concentration, and this timing risks inaccurate results. At 9:00 a.m., 30 minutes before the 9:30 a.m. dose, the trough level accurately measures the lowest vancomycin concentration, ensuring therapeutic monitoring aligns with pharmacokinetics. Drawing at 10:00 a.m., after the dose, measures a post-infusion level, not the trough; this timing misses the minimum concentration critical for dosing adjustments. At 10:30 a.m., well after the dose, blood reflects peak or random levels, not the trough, skewing data needed to assess vancomycin's therapeutic efficacy and safety.
Question 3 of 5
Which assessment finding indicates that the patient is at risk from polypharmacy? (Select all that apply.)
Correct Answer: A,B
Rationale: Multiple pharmacies (
A) increase polypharmacy risk due to potential duplication or interactions from lack of centralized oversight. Five hypertension drugs (
B) signal excessive medications for one condition, heightening interaction risks. Daughter’s help (
C) aids compliance, warfarin tests (
D) manage one drug safely, and allergies (E) affect drug choice, not quantity.
Question 4 of 5
Why does the nurse administer lorazepam intramuscularly (IM) to the patient rather than into the subcutaneous tissue?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Body fat levels influence subcutaneous absorption but are not the primary reason for choosing IM over SC injection in this scenario. Needle size varies by medication and patient factors, but this is not the defining reason for selecting IM over SC injection. IM injections deliver medication directly to muscle tissue with a rich vascular supply, ensuring faster absorption and onset compared to subcutaneous administration. IM injections are not inherently safer for patients at risk of bleeding; they carry similar risks and require proper assessment before administration.
Question 5 of 5
During a period of time when the computerized medication order system was down, the prescriber wrote admission orders, and the nurse is transcribing them. The nurse is having difficulty transcribing one order because of the prescriber's handwriting. Which is the best action for the nurse to take at this time?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Waiting delays care; illegible orders risk errors, and timely clarification ensures the patient receives accurate treatment without unnecessary postponement. Direct prescriber contact resolves ambiguity; it ensures the order's intent, aligning with safety protocols to prevent misinterpretation or harm. Colleagues may guess incorrectly; peer opinion lacks authority, risking errors in dosage or drug, compromising patient safety over prescriber intent. Patient recall is unreliable; home meds may differ from admission orders, and this doesn't clarify the prescriber's handwritten instruction accurately.