NCM 106: PHARMACOLOGY

1st SEMESTER MIDTERM REVIEWER

M2: CHEMOTHERAPEUTICS AGENTS

PRE-TEST
Q: The nurse, writing a care plan for a patient on an aminoglycoside, includes what
intervention to reduce the accumulation of the drug in the kidney?
A: Increase Fluids

Q: A patient calls the clinic to talk to the nurse. The patient states that he or she saw
the physician "last week" and was prescribed penicillin for a strep throat. The patient
goes on to say that they feel so much better they stopped taking the drug "today,"
even though there are "a few pills left." What is the nurse's best response?
A: "It is important that you take all the medication, so all the germs are killed.
Otherwise, they could come right back and be even stronger."

Q: A patient asks the nurse how an anti-infective produces a therapeutic effect. What
key point will the nurse explain to this patient?
A: The goal of anti-infectives is to interfere with normal functioning of the organism.

Q: A patient is told that he or she will have to undergo extensive dental surgery. The
dentist prescribes a course of antibiotic therapy before beginning the procedures and
continuing for 5 days after the procedure. What is this is an example of?
A: Prophylaxis

Q: When conducting patient teaching about using antibiotic medications, what is it

critical for the nurse to include to help stop the development of resistant strains of
microorganisms?
A: It is very important to take the full course of an antibiotic as prescribed and not
save remaining drugs for future infections.

Q: The nursing student learns about anti-infectives in class and demonstrates the
need to study more when making what statement about how anti-infectives work?
A: Some anti-infectives interfere with ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis in the cell
leading to cell death.
Q: The pharmacology instructor is explaining combination drugs to the nursing class.
The instructor tells the students that a combination of anti-infective agents may be
used for several reasons. What is one of them?
A: Some drugs are synergistic

Q: The nurse attends a class on preventing resistance to anti-infectives and learns

that the critical concept in preventing the development of resistant strains of
microbes is what?
A: The duration of drug use

Q: The nurse has provided patient teaching for a patient who will be discharged to
home on an anti-infective. What statement made by the patient indicates the nurse
needs to provide additional teaching concerning the use of anti-infectives?
A: "I will stop taking the antibiotic as soon as I feel better."

Q: The nurse administers a drug to treat Neisseria gonorrhoeae that works on no

other bacteria. How would the nurse describe this drug?
A: Narrow spectrum

Q: A nurse collects a culture sample of infected tissue. What does the result of
testing the culture contribute to the patient's care?
A: Identifies the specific organism causing the infection

POST TEST
Q: The nurse attends a class on preventing resistance to anti-infectives and learns
that the critical concept in preventing the development of resistant strains of
microbes is what?
A: The duration of drug use

Q: The nursing student learns about anti-infectives in class and demonstrates the
need to study more when making what statement about how anti-infectives work?
A: Some anti-infectives interfere with ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis in the cell
leading to cell death
Q: The nurse administers a drug to treat Neisseria gonorrhoeae that works on no
other bacteria. How would the nurse describe this drug?
A: Narrow spectrum

Q: A patient asks the nurse if he or she should use a topical antifungal. The nurse is
aware that the most important contraindication to topical antifungals is what?
A: Known allergy to any of the antifungal drugs

Q: When conducting patient teaching about using antibiotic medications, what is it

critical for the nurse to include to help stop the development of resistant strains of
microorganisms?
A: It is very important to take the full course of an antibiotic as prescribed and not
save remaining drugs for future infections

Q: The nurse explains why viruses are so difficult to treat when making what
statement?
A: Viruses are contained inside the human cell and cannot be destroyed without
destroying the cell

Q: A patient calls the clinic to talk to the nurse. The patient states that he or she saw
the physician "last week" and was prescribed penicillin for a strep throat. The patient
goes on to say that they feel so much better they stopped taking the drug "today,"
even though there are "a few pills left." What is the nurse's best response?
A: "It is important that you take all the medication, so all the germs are killed.
Otherwise, they could come right back and be even stronger."

Q: While calculating the drug dose of antiviral medications for children who have
AIDS a pediatric nurse uses what?
A: The child’s weight

Q: What would be a priority nursing action related to the care of a patient taking
albendazole (Albenza)?
A: Monitor renal function
Q: The pharmacology instructor is explaining combination drugs to the nursing class.
The instructor tells the students that a combination of anti-infective agents may be
used for several reasons. What is one of them?
A: Some drugs are synergistic

Q: A nurse collects a culture sample of infected tissue. What does the result of
testing the culture contribute to the patient's care?
A: Identifies the specific organism causing the infection

Q: A patient taking nevirapine (Viramune) as part of combination therapy for

treatment of HIV took 200 mg/daily PO for 14 days. The patient is now taking 200 mg
PO bid. How many mg of the medication is the patient taking daily?
A: 400 mg

Q: A clinic nurse is caring for a 66-pound child who has acute otitis media. The
physician has ordered ceftibuten (Cedax) 9 mg/kg per day PO for 10 days. The drug
comes in an oral suspension of 90 mg/5 mL. How many mL will the nurse
administer?
A: 15 mL

Q: The nurse has provided patient teaching for a patient who will be discharged to
home on an anti-infective. What statement made by the patient indicates the nurse
needs to provide additional teaching concerning the use of anti-infectives?
A: "I will stop taking the antibiotic as soon as I feel better."

Q: A 28-year-old woman is planning to be part of a mission team going to Central

Africa. She will take mefloquine (Lariam) once a week, beginning 1 week before
traveling to Africa until 4 weeks after leaving Africa. What precaution will the nurse
teach this patient is needed?
A: Use contraceptives to avoid pregnancy

Q: A patient asks the nurse how an anti-infective produces a therapeutic effect. What
key point will the nurse explain to this patient?
A: The goal of anti-infectives is to interfere with normal functioning of the organism.
Q: The nurse, writing a care plan for a patient on an aminoglycoside, includes what
intervention to reduce the accumulation of the drug in the kidney?
A: Increase fluids

Q: The patient is having an acute malarial attack with chills and fever. The nurse
knows chills and fever are caused by what?
A: Rupture of red blood cells due to invasion of merozoites

Q: A patient is told that he or she will have to undergo extensive dental surgery. The
dentist prescribes a course of antibiotic therapy before beginning the procedures and
continuing for 5 days after the procedure. What is this is an example of?
A: Prophylaxis

Q: A public health nurse is speaking to parents of first graders. When discussing

worm infection, the nurse will explain that the most common type found in school-
aged children is what?
A: Pinworms

Q: How would the nurse describe selective toxicity?

A: Selective toxicity is the ability of the drug to kill foreign cells without causing harm
to one’s own body cells

UNIT TEST
Q: A patient receiving a fluoroquinolone should be cautioned to anticipate
A: Photosensitivity

Q: Patient teaching regarding the use of anthelmintics should include counseling

about:
A: Maintenance of nutrition during therapy

Q: A female patient is receiving Mefloquine as part of malarial prevention. After

teaching about the drug, which statement by the patient indicates successful
teaching?
A: I should avoid getting pregnant for at least 2 months after I finish the drug
Q: Which of the following is not a cation for the use of cephalosporins?
A: Allergy to aspirin

Q: A patient with a severe case of athlete's foot is seen with lesions between the
toes, which are oozing blood as serum. After teaching the patient, the nurse
determines that the instruction was effective if the patient states which of the
following?
A: I should wear white socks and keep my feet clean and dry. I shouldn't use the
antifungal cream in areas where I have open lesions

Q: A patient with a systemic fungal infection has been prescribed Ketoconazole 350
mg PO daily. What assessment should the nurse prioritize after administration?
A: Review of liver enzyme levels

Q: A patient is being treated in an acute medicine unit after being diagnosed with a
tissue-invading helminthic infection. The helminth has affected the patient's muscles
and lungs. What is the patient's most likely diagnosis?
A: Trichinosis

Q: Cipro, a widely used antibiotic, is an example of

A: A fluoroquinolones

Q: A patient traveling to an area of the world where malaria is known to be endemic

should be taught to:
A: Begin prophylactic antimalarial therapy before traveling and continue it through
the visit and for 2-3 weeks after the visit

Q: Naturally occurring substances that are released in the body in response to viral
invasion are called
A: Interferons

Q: It is important to explain to women that chemotherapeutic agents should not be

used during pregnancy because:
A: Of potential serious adverse effects on the rapidly multiplying cells of the fetus

Q: Carcinomas are tumors that originate in:

A: Epithelial cells

Q: Locally active antiviral agents can be used to treat

A: Warts

Q: A patient's previous medical history includes mycosis. What conclusion should

the nurse draw from this fact? The patient:
A: Has had a disease that was caused by a fungus

Q: Gram-negative bacteria
A: Are mostly found in the gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary tracts

Q: An example of an anti-infective used as a means of prophylaxis would be:

A: An antibiotic used before dental surgery

Q: Which of the following would be an important teaching point for the patient
receiving an agent to treat herpes virus of CMV?
A: Drink plenty of fluids to decrease the drugs toxic effects on the kidneys

Q: Virus infections have proved difficult to treat because they

A: Inject themselves into human cells to survive and to reproduce

Q: The goal of traditional antineoplastic drug therapy is to:

A: Reduce the size of abnormal cell mass for immune system destruction

Q: Which of the following would the nurse expect to assess in a patient who is
suspected of having an Ascaris infection?
A: Cough and signs of pulmonary infestation
Q: Nursing interventions for the patient receiving anti-viral drugs for the treatment of
HIV probably would include?
A: Monitoring renal and hepatic function periodically during therapy

Q: Combination therapy is often used in treating infections. An important

consideration for using combination therapy would be that:
A: The combination of drugs can delay the emergence of resistant strains

Q: When interviewing a patient with a suspected worm infection, what assessment

finding would best address the patient's risk of Ascaris infection?
A: Have you eaten any unwashed, fresh vegetables lately?

Q: Some properties of neoplastic cells are the same as the properties of normal
cells, including:
A: Mitosis

Q: Sensitivity testing of a culture shows:

A: Drugs that are capable of controlling that particular microorganism

Q: When administering a systemic antifungal agent, the nurse incorporates

understanding that all systemic antifungal drugs function to:
A: Alter cell, permeability of the fungus, leading to cell death

Q: In assessing a patient, a viral cause might be suspected if the patient was

diagnosed with
A: The common cold

Q: The emergence of resistant strains of microbes is a serious public health

problem. Health care providers can work to prevent the emergence of resistant
strains by:
A: Limiting the use of antimicrobial agents to the treatment of specific pathogens
known to be sensitive to the drug being used
Q: Antineoplastic drugs destroy human cells. They are most likely to cause cell
death among healthy cells that:
A: Are rapidly turning over

Q: Amebiasis or amebic dysentery:

A: Is caused by a protozoan that can enter the body in the cyst stage in water or
food

Q: Superinfections can occur when anti-infective agents destroy the normal flora of
the body. Candida infections are commonly associated with antibiotic use. A patient
this type of superinfection would exhibit:
A: Vaginal discharge of white patches in the mouth

Q: Herpes viruses cause a broad of conditions but have not been identified as the
causative agent in
A: Leprosy

Q: A broad-spectrum antibiotic would be the drug of choice when:

A: One is waiting for a culture and sensitivity results

Q: When describing the development of malaria caused by the Plasmodium

protozoan the instructor would explain that the organism depends on:
A: A mosquito and a red blood cell for maturation

Q: The nurse describes schistosomiasis to a group of students as an infection

caused by:
A: A fluke carried by a snail

Q: A client w/ acne has been receiving an anti-infective agent for a prolonged period.
Initially, the drug was effective, but one time its effectiveness decreased. What is the
nurse's best action?
A: Refer the client to the health care provider because the client may be
experiencing resistance
Q: A nurse is reviewing the health record of a patient for whom antimalarial therapy
is being proposed. The nurse should identify what aspect of the patient's history as
contraindication the use of antimalarials?
A: Alcoholic liver disease

Q: A bacteriostatic substance is one that

A: Prevents the growth of specific bacteria that are sensitive to substances

Q: A parent has informed the nurse that she has been applying an OTC antifungal to
her infant's buttocks and perineal region. What questions related to safety should the
nurse ask the parent?
A: Are there any open wounds on the areas where you’re putting the ointment?

Q: The spectrum of activity of an anti-infective indicates:

A: the anti-infective's effectiveness against different invading organisms

Q: After a group of students is taught about protozoal infections, which infection, if

stated by the group as accused by an insect bite, would indicate the need for
additional teaching
A: Giardiasis

Q: HIV selectively enters which of the following cells?

A: Helper T cells

Q: The nurse is working with a patient who has a cutaneous fungal infection and who
has been prescribed a topical antifungal ointment. The patient tells the nurse, "I
bought a steroid ointment at the drugstore because I read it might help with my skin
infection." What is the nurse's best response?
A: It's best to check with your health care provider before applying any of the steroid
ointment

Q: A patient is prescribed Mebendazole. The nurse knows that this is the most
commonly used anthelmintic, being the drug of choice for treating:
A: Pinworms, roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms
Q: A nurse would note that a patient had a good understanding of his antimalarial
drug regiment if the patient reported:
A: I'll start the pills before my trip, keep taking them during the trip, and for a period
of time after I'm home

Q: When describing the various effects of antineoplastic agents, the nurse explains
that antineoplastic drugs primarily affect human cells that are rapidly multiplying,
going through the cell cycle quickly. The nurse would identify cells of what as an
example?
A: Skin

Q: The goal of antibiotic therapy is

A: To reduce the number of invading bacteria so that the immune system can deal
with the infection

Q: Cancer treatment usually occurs in several different treatment phases. In

assessing the appropriateness of another round of chemotherapy for a particular pt
the nurse would evaluate which of the following as most important?
A: Bone marrow function

Q: Antibiotics that are used together to increase their effectiveness and limit the
associated adverse effects are said to be
A: Synergistic

Q: To ensure effective treatment of pinworm infections, which instruction would be

most important to emphasize to the patient and family?
A: Laundering undergarments, bed linens, and pajamas every day

Q: The nurse instructs the patient to use care when applying topical antifungal
agents to prevent systemic absorption because:
A: these drugs are too toxic to be given systemically