ATI LPN
ATI PN Pharmacology 2020 Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
A nurse is preparing to administer somatropin 0.24 mg/kg/week subcutaneously to be divided into six daily doses to a school-age child who weighs 66 lb. How many mg 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:
To calculate the dosage per dose, first convert the child's weight from pounds to kilograms: 66 lb ÷ 2.2 = 30 kg.
Then, multiply the weight by the prescribed dosage: 30 kg × 0.24 mg/kg/week = 7.2 mg/week. Since the total weekly dosage is divided into 6 daily doses, divide 7.2 mg by 6 to get the per-dose amount: 7.2 mg ÷ 6 = 1.2 mg.
Therefore, the nurse should administer 1.2 mg per dose.
Choice A (1.2 mg) is correct because it reflects this calculation. The other choices are incorrect as they do not accurately represent the calculated dosage based on the child's weight and the prescribed dosage regimen.
Question 2 of 5
A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a newly licensed nurse about monitoring morphine patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Which of the following information should the nurse include?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Step 1: Instructing visitors not to operate the PCA pump is crucial to prevent unauthorized administration of morphine, ensuring safety and preventing potential overdose.
Step 2: Visitors may mistakenly press the button, leading to excess drug delivery, respiratory depression, and other serious complications.
Step 3: Regular monitoring and control over PCA administration by healthcare professionals are essential to maintain patient safety.
Summary:
Choices A and B are incorrect as they do not address the specific safety concern related to PCA.
Choice C is incorrect as pain assessment should be more frequent.
Question 3 of 5
A nurse is collecting data from a client who received diphenhydramine for insomnia. Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as an idiosyncratic reaction?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Agitation. An idiosyncratic reaction is an unexpected response to a medication that is not related to the known pharmacological actions of the drug. In this case, diphenhydramine is an antihistamine primarily known for its sedative effects, not causing agitation. Dry mouth (choice
A) and dizziness (choice
D) are common side effects of diphenhydramine due to its anticholinergic properties. Nausea (choice
B) can also be a common side effect. In summary, agitation is the idiosyncratic reaction as it is not a typical response to diphenhydramine, unlike the other choices which are more commonly associated side effects.
Question 4 of 5
A nurse is reviewing the medication history of a client who reports urinary retention. The nurse should recognize that which of the following medications can cause this adverse reaction?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Scopolamine. Scopolamine is an anticholinergic medication that can cause urinary retention by inhibiting the parasympathetic nervous system, leading to decreased bladder contraction. Donepezil (
A) is a cholinesterase inhibitor used for Alzheimer's disease and does not typically cause urinary retention. Metoprolol (
C) is a beta-blocker used for hypertension and does not have a direct effect on urinary retention. Acetaminophen (
D) is an analgesic and antipyretic medication that does not affect urinary retention. In summary, Scopolamine is the correct answer because it has anticholinergic properties that can lead to urinary retention, while the other medications do not typically cause this adverse reaction.
Question 5 of 5
A nurse is caring for a client who started taking amitriptyline 6 days ago. The client reports that the medication is not helping. Which of the following responses should the nurse make?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: "You will need to wait a couple of weeks to feel the therapeutic effect of the medication." Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, typically takes about 2-4 weeks for the full therapeutic effects to be noticeable. This is due to the medication needing time to build up in the body and start influencing neurotransmitter levels. It is essential for the nurse to educate the client about the delayed onset of action to manage expectations and prevent premature discontinuation of the medication.
Incorrect answers:
A: "I will inform your provider so she can prescribe a different medication." - Prematurely changing medications without giving amitriptyline a fair trial may result in missed therapeutic benefits.
B: "You will need to take this medication on an empty stomach for it to be more effective." - Administration with food does not significantly affect the efficacy of amitriptyline.
D: "I will ask your provider to increase the dose of the medication