Jamie has fractured his ankle and has received a prescription for acetaminophen and hydrocodone (Vicodin). Education when prescribing Vicodin includes:
- A. It is okay to double the dose of Vicodin if the pain is severe
- B. Vicodin is not habit-forming
- C. He should not take any other acetaminophen-containing medications
- D. Vicodin may cause diarrhea; increase his fluid intake
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Avoiding extra acetaminophen prevents overdose; Vicodin is habit-forming , and constipation, not diarrhea , is common.
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While collecting a medication history, the patient admits to doubling the recommended dosage of an over-the-counter (OTC) medication, saying It's harmless or they would require a prescription. What is the nurse's best response?
- A. OTC drugs are serious medications and carry serious risks if not taken as directed.
- B. Taking medications like that is careless and you could kill yourself doing it.
- C. Sometimes you need to take more than the package directs to treat the symptoms.
- D. Did you notify your doctor of the increased dosage you were taking?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: OTC drugs are no less a medication than prescription drugs and carry the same types of risks for overdosage and toxicity if directions are not followed. Although increasing the dosage is careless and dangerous, it is important to use the information as a teaching opportunity rather than scolding the patient. Agreeing with the patient or asking her if she talked to the doctor misses the teaching opportunity, which could be harmful for the patient.
A nurse working in radiology administers iodine to a patient who is having a computed tomography (CT) scan. The nurse working on the oncology unit administers chemotherapy to patients who have cancer. At the Public Health Department, a nurse administers a measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine to a 14-month-old child as a routine immunization. Which branch of pharmacology best describes the actions of all three nurses?
- A. Pharmacoeconomics
- B. Pharmacotherapeutics
- C. Pharmacodynamics
- D. Pharmacokinetics
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Pharmacology is the study of the biologic effects of chemicals. Nurses are involved with clinical pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics, which is a branch of pharmacology that deals with the uses of drugs to treat, prevent, and diagnose disease. The radiology nurse is administering a drug to help diagnose a disease. The oncology nurse is administering a drug to help treat a disease. Pharmacoeconomics includes any costs involved in drug therapy. Pharmacodynamics involves how a drug affects the body and pharmacokinetics is how the body acts on the body.
Which mode of action has insulin in fatty cells?
- A. Decrease glycerol synthesis
- B. Increase synthesis of triglycerides
- C. Decrease fatty acid synthesis
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Insulin promotes triglyceride synthesis in fat cells by enhancing glucose uptake and lipogenesis.
A nurse is reviewing the order for a medication. Which of the following must be included?
- A. Client's name
- B. Drug name
- C. Dosage form
- D. All the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A primary health care provider's order must include the client's name, the drug name, the dosage form and route, the dosage to be administered, and the frequency of administration.
Therapeutic index of a drug is an indicator of
- A. Potency
- B. Safety
- C. Toxicity
- D. Efficacy
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Therapeutic index (TD50/ED50) measures the margin between therapeutic and toxic doses.