Question

Based on the capillary glucose measurement, a client is to receive regular insulin 10 units subcutaneously. The client's medication drawer contains one vial of a 70/30 mixture of regular insulin and isophane insulin. How should the nurse prepare the prescribed dose?

Answer 1

Correct Answers:

Obtain a new vial of regular insulin and withdraw ten units.

Rationale :

💉The prescription specifically requires 10 units of regular insulin, which is a rapid-acting preparation used for glucose correction.

🧪A 70/30 insulin mixture contains 70% isophane insulin and only 30% regular insulin.

⚠️The nurse cannot accurately separate regular insulin from the premixed vial because both insulin types are already combined in solution.

✅Obtaining regular insulin and withdrawing exactly 10 units ensures accurate medication administration.

📌Core Message:

A prescription for regular insulin must be prepared from a vial of regular insulin alone, because a premixed 70/30 formulation cannot be separated into its individual components.

Answer 2

Correct Answers:

Worsening headache.

Rationale :

🧠A worsening headache during vasopressin therapy can indicate water intoxication and dilutional hyponatremia.

💧Vasopressin promotes renal water reabsorption, which can produce excessive fluid retention if the dose is too high.

🚨Progressive hyponatremia can cause headache, confusion, drowsiness, seizures, and other signs of cerebral edema.

📞The nurse should promptly report the headache and assess the client’s neurologic status, fluid balance, weight, and serum sodium level.

📌Core Message:

A worsening headache during vasopressin therapy may indicate water intoxication and hyponatremia, requiring prompt evaluation and provider notification.

Answer 3

Correct Answers:

Pain 8 on a 0 to 10 scal
Respirations: 28 breaths/minute
Taking shallow breaths

Rationale :

💥Severe pain rated 8 requires follow-up because uncontrolled rib-fracture pain limits deep breathing and effective coughing.

🫁A respiratory rate of 28 breaths/minute indicates tachypnea, which may result from pain or developing respiratory compromise.

🌬️Shallow breathing reduces alveolar ventilation and increases the risk of atelectasis, retained secretions, and pneumonia.

🩺These findings require prompt pain management and continued assessment of breath sounds, oxygenation, and respiratory effort.

📌Core Message:

Severe pain, tachypnea, and shallow respirations require follow-up because they increase the client’s risk for hypoventilation and pulmonary complications.

Answer 4

Correct Answers

Blank 1 Correct Option: Opioid analgesics

Rationale :

💊The client has severe rib-fracture pain that has not responded adequately to acetaminophen.

🫁Effective analgesia enables deeper breathing, coughing, repositioning, and participation in pulmonary hygiene.

💉An opioid analgesic can provide appropriate relief for acute severe traumatic pain.

👀The nurse must monitor respiratory rate, sedation, oxygen saturation, and pain response because opioids can cause respiratory depression.

📌Core Message:

Opioid analgesics are appropriate for severe rib-fracture pain because effective pain control supports ventilation and prevents pulmonary complications.

Answer 5

Correct Answers

Blank 1 Correct Option: Respiratory rate

Rationale :

🫁Morphine suppresses the brainstem’s respiratory center and may cause respiratory depression.

📊Obtaining the respiratory rate provides essential baseline respiratory data before opioid administration.

⚠️This client already has shallow breathing from rib-fracture pain, increasing the importance of assessing respiratory depth and effort.

🛑The nurse should withhold morphine and notify the healthcare provider if clinically significant respiratory depression is present.

📌Core Message:

Respiratory rate, depth, and effort must be assessed before administering morphine because opioids can suppress ventilation.

Answer 6

Correct Answers:

Naloxone
Docusate sodium
Ondansetron

Rationale :

🚑Naloxone reverses opioid-induced respiratory and central nervous system depression.

🚽Docusate sodium helps prevent or manage constipation caused by reduced gastrointestinal motility during opioid therapy.

🤢Ondansetron treats nausea and vomiting, which are common opioid adverse effects.

🩺These medications address potentially serious or uncomfortable morphine-related adverse effects without adding another opioid.

📌Core Message:

Naloxone, docusate sodium, and ondansetron manage important morphine adverse effects, including respiratory depression, constipation, nausea, and vomiting.

Answer 7

Correct Answers:

Advise the client to rest.

Rationale :

💓Rest decreases myocardial workload and reduces the heart’s oxygen demand during an anginal episode.

💊Nitroglycerin dilates coronary and systemic blood vessels, improving myocardial oxygen supply while reducing cardiac workload.

🪑The client should remain seated or lying down because nitroglycerin can cause hypotension and dizziness.

⏱️The nurse should reassess chest pain and vital signs approximately 5 minutes after the dose and follow the prescribed nitroglycerin protocol.

📌Core Message:

Rest after nitroglycerin administration reduces cardiac workload and oxygen demand while limiting injury from dizziness or hypotension.

Answer 8

Correct Answers:

Akathisia

Rationale :

🧠Haloperidol strongly blocks dopamine receptors and can produce extrapyramidal symptoms.

🏃Akathisia is characterized by severe inner restlessness, pacing, repetitive movements, and an inability to remain still.

🔍The nurse should distinguish akathisia from anxiety or agitation because it requires specific medication management.

💊Treatment may involve reducing the antipsychotic dose or administering a prescribed beta blocker, benzodiazepine, or anticholinergic medication.

📌Core Message:

Akathisia is a haloperidol-related extrapyramidal effect manifested by restlessness, pacing, and inability to remain still.

Answer 9

Correct Answers:

Administer iodine one hour before PTU.

Rationale :

🦋Propylthiouracil inhibits new thyroid-hormone synthesis and reduces peripheral conversion of T4 to T3.

⏰Propylthiouracil must be administered before Lugol’s solution so the thyroid cannot use the administered iodine to produce additional thyroid hormone.

🧪Lugol’s solution is given afterward to inhibit thyroid-hormone release and reduce thyroid gland vascularity.

🚨Giving iodine before the antithyroid medication can provide substrate for new hormone production and worsen hyperthyroidism.

📌Core Message:

Propylthiouracil should precede Lugol’s solution by at least one hour to prevent iodine from being used for new thyroid-hormone synthesis.

Answer 10

Correct Answers:

Take on an empty stomach at least 1 hour before meals.

Rationale :

🛡️Sucralfate forms a protective barrier over the ulcerated gastrointestinal mucosa.

🍽️It should be administered on an empty stomach, usually 1 hour before meals and at bedtime.

⏰Food can interfere with sucralfate’s ability to bind effectively to the ulcer site.

💊Other medications should generally be separated from sucralfate because it can reduce their gastrointestinal absorption.

📌Core Message:

Sucralfate should be taken on an empty stomach before meals so it can bind to the ulcer and form a protective barrier.

BSN 315 Pharmacology Exam 2026

No.

1 :
Based on the capillary glucose measurement, a client is to receive regular insulin 10 units subcutaneously. The client's medication drawer contains one vial of a 70/30 mixture of regular insulin and isophane insulin. How should the nurse prepare the prescribed dose?

2 :
A client who is newly diagnosed with diabetes insipidus (DI) is receiving a synthetic vasopressin IV. Which side effect of vasopressin reported by the client should the nurse report to the healthcare provider (HCP)?

3 :
68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

Review of systems

0800

0800

Answer Options

4 :
A 68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

0800

0800

Intake and Output

0745 (in ED)

Imaging Studies

Correct Answers

5 :
A 68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

0800

0800

Intake and Output

0745 (in ED)

Imaging Studies

Correct Answers

6 :
68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

0800

0800

Intake and Output

Answer Options

7 :
After administering nitroglycerin spray to a client experiencing angina, which action should the nurse implement next?

8 :
The nurse is assessing a client who is taking haloperidol. Which finding requires further investigation by the nurse to determine if the client is experiencing related extrapyramidal side effects?

9 :
The healthcare provider (HCP) prescribes propylthiouracil (PTU) and Lugol's solution for a client with hyperthyroidism. How should the nurse schedule the administration of these medications?

10 :
The nurse is caring for a client receiving a prescription for sucralfate to treat a peptic ulcer. Which instruction should the nurse provide during discharge education?

BSN 315 Pharmacology Exam 2026

No.

1 : Based on the capillary glucose measurement, a client is to receive regular insulin 10 units subcutaneously. The client's medication drawer contains one vial of a 70/30 mixture of regular insulin and isophane insulin. How should the nurse prepare the prescribed dose?

2 : A client who is newly diagnosed with diabetes insipidus (DI) is receiving a synthetic vasopressin IV. Which side effect of vasopressin reported by the client should the nurse report to the healthcare provider (HCP)?

3 : 68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

Review of systems

0800

0800

Answer Options

4 : A 68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

0800

0800

Intake and Output

0745 (in ED)

Imaging Studies

Correct Answers

5 : A 68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

0800

0800

Intake and Output

0745 (in ED)

Imaging Studies

Correct Answers

6 : 68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

0800

0800

Intake and Output

Answer Options

7 : After administering nitroglycerin spray to a client experiencing angina, which action should the nurse implement next?

8 : The nurse is assessing a client who is taking haloperidol. Which finding requires further investigation by the nurse to determine if the client is experiencing related extrapyramidal side effects?

9 : The healthcare provider (HCP) prescribes propylthiouracil (PTU) and Lugol's solution for a client with hyperthyroidism. How should the nurse schedule the administration of these medications?

10 : The nurse is caring for a client receiving a prescription for sucralfate to treat a peptic ulcer. Which instruction should the nurse provide during discharge education?

1 :
Based on the capillary glucose measurement, a client is to receive regular insulin 10 units subcutaneously. The client's medication drawer contains one vial of a 70/30 mixture of regular insulin and isophane insulin. How should the nurse prepare the prescribed dose?

2 :
A client who is newly diagnosed with diabetes insipidus (DI) is receiving a synthetic vasopressin IV. Which side effect of vasopressin reported by the client should the nurse report to the healthcare provider (HCP)?

3 :
68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

4 :
A 68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

5 :
A 68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

6 :
68-year-old client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit

7 :
After administering nitroglycerin spray to a client experiencing angina, which action should the nurse implement next?

8 :
The nurse is assessing a client who is taking haloperidol. Which finding requires further investigation by the nurse to determine if the client is experiencing related extrapyramidal side effects?

9 :
The healthcare provider (HCP) prescribes propylthiouracil (PTU) and Lugol's solution for a client with hyperthyroidism. How should the nurse schedule the administration of these medications?

10 :
The nurse is caring for a client receiving a prescription for sucralfate to treat a peptic ulcer. Which instruction should the nurse provide during discharge education?