All Free Nursing Pharmacology MCQs with Answers

• A. Repeat the opioid dose immediately
• B. Monitor for recurrent respiratory depression
• C. Encourage the patient to walk alone
• D. Give a sedative to reduce distress

Explanation: Naloxone may wear off before some opioids, so respiratory depression can return and requires close monitoring.

• A. Ethosuximide
• B. Phenytoin
• C. Phenobarbital
• D. Carbamazepine

Explanation: Ethosuximide is commonly used for typical absence seizures because it suppresses the abnormal thalamic electrical activity.

• A. Chew food on the numb side
• B. Test hot drinks before swallowing
• C. Avoid biting the cheek or tongue
• D. Massage the numb area firmly

Explanation: Loss of sensation can cause accidental biting or burns, so the patient should avoid chewing and hot drinks until sensation returns.

• A. Severe hypoglycaemia
• B. Weight gain and raised blood glucose
• C. Permanent hearing loss
• D. Markedly reduced appetite

Explanation: Atypical antipsychotics may cause weight gain, dyslipidaemia and hyperglycaemia, so weight and metabolic findings need monitoring.

• A. Increased prolactin concentration
• B. Reduced thyroid hormone release
• C. Excess insulin secretion
• D. Increased acetylcholine activity

Explanation: Dopamine blockade in the tuberoinfundibular pathway can increase prolactin, causing galactorrhoea, breast enlargement and menstrual…

• A. Sedation always causes complete unconsciousness
• B. General anaesthesia preserves protective reflexes
• C. Sedation may preserve purposeful responses
• D. General anaesthesia causes pain but no anxiety

Explanation: During sedation, the patient may remain responsive and retain protective reflexes, depending on its depth.

• A. Take both together to improve sleep
• B. Avoid alcohol while taking the medicine
• C. Stop the medicine suddenly when calm
• D. Double the dose after a stressful day

Explanation: Alcohol adds to benzodiazepine sedation and can cause dangerous respiratory depression, impaired coordination and accidents.

• A. Ibuprofen
• B. Morphine
• C. Lidocaine
• D. Diazepam

Explanation: Ibuprofen is a non-opioid NSAID that reduces pain, inflammation and fever by inhibiting prostaglandin production.

• A. Leave the patient alone to promote rest
• B. Assess immediate safety and suicidal intent
• C. Tell the patient the thoughts are expected
• D. Stop every medicine without consultation

Explanation: New suicidal thoughts require immediate safety assessment, observation and timely communication with the prescriber or mental health team.

• A. Give the next dose with extra water
• B. Withhold lithium and notify the prescriber
• C. Administer an additional sedative medicine
• D. Encourage a low-sodium diet immediately

Explanation: These findings suggest lithium toxicity, which can worsen as diarrhoea and dehydration increase lithium concentration.

• A. It inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis
• B. It blocks bacterial folic acid absorption
• C. It prevents viral nucleic acid release
• D. It stops fungal ergosterol formation

Explanation: Beta-lactam antibiotics bind penicillin-binding proteins and inhibit peptidoglycan cross-linking, causing bacterial cell wall rupture.

• A. Overgrowth of resistant or opportunistic organisms
• B. Permanent increase in normal bowel bacteria
• C. Improved response to every future antibiotic
• D. Prevention of all drug-related allergic reactions

Explanation: Broad-spectrum therapy affects many bacterial species, including protective normal flora, and may promote antimicrobial resistance or…

• A. Withhold the dose and notify the prescriber
• B. Give the next dose with an antacid
• C. Encourage extra potassium-rich foods
• D. Reassure the patient that this is harmless

Explanation: Gentamicin can cause ototoxicity, which may be irreversible, as well as nephrotoxicity.

• A. Report numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
• B. Stop treatment when the cough improves
• C. Take extra doses if one dose is missed
• D. Avoid all foods containing carbohydrates

Explanation: Isoniazid may cause peripheral neuropathy, especially in patients at risk of pyridoxine deficiency, so numbness or tingling should be…

• A. Explain that this is an expected harmless effect
• B. Tell the patient to stop rifampicin immediately
• C. Administer vitamin K before the next dose
• D. Explain that it confirms kidney failure

Explanation: Rifampicin commonly discolors urine, sweat, saliva and tears orange-red.

• A. Nephrotoxicity from the antifungal drug
• B. Ototoxicity from the antifungal drug
• C. Retinal toxicity from the antifungal drug
• D. Severe hypoglycemia from the antifungal drug

Explanation: Amphotericin B can cause significant renal impairment and electrolyte disturbances, so renal function and electrolytes require monitoring.

• A. Maintain adequate fluid intake unless restricted
• B. Avoid all fluids until the treatment is complete
• C. Take double doses when lesions remain painful
• D. Use the drug only after eating fatty foods

Explanation: Adequate hydration helps reduce the risk of acyclovir crystalluria and renal injury, particularly when the patient is receiving high doses…

• A. Avoid alcohol during treatment and shortly after it ends
• B. Take the medicine only when fever becomes severe
• C. Stop the drug when diarrhoea improves
• D. Increase alcohol intake to improve absorption

Explanation: Alcohol taken with metronidazole may produce a disulfiram-like reaction with nausea, vomiting, flushing and abdominal discomfort.

• A. Collect the urine specimen using the prescribed technique
• B. Delay all treatment until the culture result returns
• C. Give an antidiarrhoeal medicine before collecting urine
• D. Discard the first urine and collect no further specimen

Explanation: When the patient is stable, the culture specimen should be collected before antibiotics because treatment can reduce bacterial growth and…

• A. Explain that antibiotics do not treat dengue viruses
• B. Give an antibiotic to prevent every possible infection
• C. Explain that antibiotics destroy dengue virus directly
• D. Withhold all fluids until the fever returns to normal

Explanation: Dengue is a viral infection, so antibiotics do not treat its cause; management includes monitoring, fluids as prescribed and safe fever…