HESI RN
HESI RN Pharmacology 106a Questions
Extract:
Question 1 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 2 of 5
A client with narcolepsy receives a new prescription for methylphenidate. Prior to administration of the medication, the nurse should review the medical record for which condition?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Methylphenidate, a stimulant, can increase blood pressure, making hypertension a critical condition to review. Bronchitis, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia are less directly impacted by methylphenidate.
Question 3 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 4 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.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse discontinues the client's patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Which statement about eye drops is correct?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The question context is unclear, as PCA discontinuation is unrelated to eye drops. Assuming it refers to a prior topic, choice A is plausible for certain eye drops (e.g., those increasing aqueous humor), but B is more specific to miotics like pilocarpine. Without context, A is marked correct per the data, though clarification is needed.