ATI LPN
ATI LPN Pharmacology Exam I Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
The graduate nurse is aware that the count of the unit's narcotics and controlled substances at the change of shifts should involve:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Narcotics are controlled substances requiring strict accountability; two nurses—one ending and one starting the shift—verify counts to ensure accuracy and prevent diversion per regulatory standards. The head nurse and pharmacist may oversee inventory, but shift change counts involve direct caregivers for real-time accuracy, not administrative staff, ensuring immediate responsibility and oversight. Involving all nurses from both shifts is impractical and unnecessary; it dilutes accountability and increases error risk, as only two are needed to confirm the count efficiently. Pharmacy technicians lack authority over unit narcotics, and the charge nurse alone doesn't suffice; two nurses ensure a witnessed, reliable count per hospital policy and law.
Question 2 of 5
After receiving Nembutal PO at bedtime, a client is wide awake all night instead of going to sleep. What kind of adverse reaction to a drug does this situation represent?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Toxic effects involve overdose symptoms like coma; staying awake isn’t toxicity, as Nembutal’s sedative intent is reversed, not exaggerated, in this reaction.
Drug allergy causes immune responses (e.g., rash); insomnia isn’t allergic, but a paradoxical effect, differing from hypersensitivity reactions entirely.
Idiosyncrasy is an unexpected reaction; Nembutal, a barbiturate, should sedate, but wakefulness is an abnormal, individual response, fitting this category precisely.
Tolerance reduces efficacy over time; this acute, opposite reaction to a sedative isn’t tolerance, but an immediate, unpredictable drug response.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse explains that a drug may have several names. The trade name is the only name that can be:
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Retailers use trade or generic names; trade isn't exclusive here, as generics are sold too, making this a shared rather than unique trait. Chemical names define molecular structure (e.g., acetaminophen); trade names (e.g., Tylenol) are brand-specific, not tied to chemistry recognition. Orders use trade or generic names (e.g., Zestril or lisinopril); trade isn't the only option, as generics are equally valid in prescriptions. Trade names are trademarked (e.g., Viagra); this legal protection distinguishes them from generic or chemical names, ensuring brand exclusivity.
Question 4 of 5
A patient consumes 120 mL of orange juice and 120 mL of milk for breakfast, 260 mL of coffee for lunch, and 90 mL of an ice pop and 120 mL of ice cream for dinner. Calculate the intake for the 6 AM to 6 PM shift.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 610 mL omits ice cream (120 mL); total is 120+120+260+90+120=710 mL; this undercalculation misses a key liquid intake component. 710 mL sums all: 120 (juice) + 120 (milk) + 260 (coffee) + 90 (ice pop) + 120 (ice cream); melted solids count as fluid, matching clinical standards. 810 mL overestimates; no additional fluids are listed beyond 710 mL; this error likely adds non-existent intake, skewing the total inaccurately. 910 mL vastly exceeds reality; it may double-count or invent fluids; only 710 mL is supported by the listed consumption data provided.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is reviewing medication errors. Which situation is an example of a medication error?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Allergic reactions are adverse drug effects, not necessarily medication errors. Documentation of allergies before administration prevents such events. Administering a double dose results directly from improper preparation, constituting a clear medication error requiring immediate reporting and corrective action. Patient refusal is not a medication error but a decision. Nurses must document refusals and provide education on medication importance. Persistent pain indicates ineffective medication, which is an issue of treatment efficacy, not an error in administration.