ATI LPN
ATI LPN Pharmacology Exam I Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
Vistaril 75 mg IM is ordered for anxiety. Available: 50 mg/mL. How many milliliters will the nurse administer?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 1 mL gives 50 mg; this underdoses the 75 mg order, reducing Vistaril's sedative effect, risking inadequate anxiety relief for the patient. 1.5 mL is correct; 75 mg divided by 50 mg/mL equals 1.5 mL, delivering the precise IM dose for effective anxiolytic action safely. 2 mL provides 100 mg; this overdoses Vistaril, risking excessive sedation or hypotension, exceeding the ordered therapeutic amount unnecessarily. 2.5 mL yields 125 mg; this far exceeds 75 mg, amplifying side effects like drowsiness or respiratory depression, unsafe for anxiety management.
Question 2 of 5
When the nurse brings pills to the patient, the patient is unable to hold the paper cup with the medications. What should the nurse do?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Crushing pills can alter drug efficacy and safety, especially for medications with controlled-release properties, making this inappropriate without specific provider instructions. Requesting a liquid form accommodates the patient's physical limitations, maintaining therapeutic integrity and ensuring safe and effective medication administration. Introducing pills directly into the patient's mouth risks aspiration and violates safe administration practices, emphasizing the need for alternative methods. If the patient struggles to hold the cup, self-administration becomes impractical. Assistance through appropriate alternative forms ensures compliance and safety.
Question 3 of 5
A nurse is preparing to administer an intramuscular injection for a client of average weight. At what angle would the nurse insert the needle?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: IM injections use a 90-degree angle; this ensures deep muscle penetration for average-weight adults, optimizing drug absorption into vascular tissue. 45 degrees is for subcutaneous injections; it's too shallow for IM, risking fat deposition instead of muscle, reducing efficacy in this context. 15 degrees is far too shallow; it's not a standard angle, likely depositing drug in skin layers, failing to reach muscle for intended absorption. 25 degrees mimics subcutaneous; it doesn't reach muscle depth, compromising IM delivery and therapeutic effect in an average-weight client.
Question 4 of 5
When preparing medications for delivery to an assigned patient, the nurse should check each medication for accuracy of drug and dose:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Checking medications only once increases the likelihood of errors. Safe practice requires multiple verification steps. While better than a single check, verifying only twice may still miss potential discrepancies in drug or dosage accuracy. The three-check system (when retrieving, preparing, and administering medication) minimizes errors, ensuring patient safety through consistent validation at each step. Excessive verification may delay administration, reducing practicality without significantly improving safety beyond three checks.
Question 5 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.