HESI RN
HESI RN Pharmacology 106a Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
During a home visit, the nurse assesses a client with Alzheimer's disease who recently started a new prescription for rivastigmine. The caregiver reports that the client seems to be thinking more clearly but is not sleeping well at night. Which action should the nurse take?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Insomnia is a common, often temporary side effect of rivastigmine. Explaining this reassures the caregiver. Rivastigmine is for cognition, not sleep, and withholding or increasing the dose is inappropriate without provider guidance.
Question 2 of 5
Based on a client's serum digoxin level, the client is diagnosed with digoxin toxicity. Which action should the nurse expect to implement?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Checking acid-base and electrolyte values is critical for digoxin toxicity, as imbalances like hypokalemia worsen toxicity. Changing routes, cardioversion, or potassium administration are not immediate without assessment.
Question 3 of 5
Prior to administering an oral dose of methylprednisolone, the nurse determines the client's serum total calcium level is 5.5 mg/dL (1.4 mmol/L). Which action is most important for the nurse to take?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A calcium level of 5.5 mg/dL indicates severe hypocalcemia, requiring immediate provider notification for evaluation. Tapering, dietary teaching, or milk administration are secondary to addressing this critical imbalance.
Question 4 of 5
A client with a history of smoking cigarettes for many years arrives at the clinic and expresses a desire to stop smoking. The client receives a prescription for bupropion to reduce nicotine cravings. Which information should the nurse include in the discharge teaching?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Bupropion may cause insomnia and weight loss, which clients should anticipate. Tyramine-free diets are relevant for MAOIs, not bupropion, and notifying about side effects is general advice, not specific.
Question 5 of 5
A client with a history of angina reports the onset of chest pain. The nurse determines that the heart rate is 104 beats/minute and the blood pressure is 138/86 mm Hg. A transdermal nitroglycerin patch was applied 30 minutes ago to the right upper chest. Which action should the nurse take?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Sublingual nitroglycerin provides rapid relief for acute chest pain, complementing the sustained effect of the transdermal patch. Adding another patch risks overdose, withholding delays relief, and the patch’s slow onset doesn’t address acute pain.