Sure!
Here's a complete and easy-to-understand overview of the Basics of
Pharmacology for your nursing exam, covering:
1. 📦 Pharmacokinetics
2. 💉 Routes of Drug Administration
3. 🧮 Drug and IV Fluid Computation
📝 Sample NCLEX-style questions for practice!
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🧮 BASICS OF PHARMACOLOGY OVERVIEW FOR NURSING EXAM
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📘 1. PHARMACOKINETICS
Pharmacokinetics = “What the body does to the drug.”
Main Phases (ADME):
Phase, Description, and Example
Absorption: Drug enters bloodstream from site of administration
Ex. Oral meds absorbed in small intestine
Distribution: Drug moves to target tissues via bloodstream
Ex. Protein-bound drugs stay longer
Metabolism: Drug is broken down (mostly in the liver)
Ex. First-pass effect in oral meds
Excretion: Drug is eliminated (mostly via kidneys)
Ex . Monitor renal function (BUN, creatinine)
🧮 Key Nursing Tips:
Liver function: ALT/AST for metabolism
Kidney function: BUN/Creatinine for excretion
Elderly and infants: slower metabolism/excretion
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💉 2. ROUTES OF DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Route Description Nursing Note
Oral (PO): Swallowed, absorbed in GI tract
-Affected by food, first-pass effect
Sublingual (SL): Under tongue, fast absorption
-Do not chew/swallow
Intramuscular (IM): Into muscle
-Faster than oral, slower than IV
Intravenous (IV): Directly into bloodstream
-Immediate effect, 100% bioavailability
Subcutaneous (SC): Into fat layer
Ex: insulin, heparin
Topical: On skin or mucous membranes
-Local effect unless transdermal
Inhalation: Breathed into lungs
Ex: bronchodilators
Rectal/Vaginal: Absorbed via mucosa
-Used if NPO or vomiting
🧮 Remember:
Fastest → IV > IM > SC > PO
Watch for drug incompatibilities in IVs!
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🧮 3. DRUG & IV FLUID COMPUTATIONS
💊 A. Basic Drug Dosage Formula:
> D/H × Q = X
D = Doctor's order
H = Available (on hand)
Q = Quantity of what's on hand
X = Amount to give
Example:
Order: 500 mg paracetamol
Available: 250 mg/tablet
→ 500 ÷ 250 × 1 = 2 tablets
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💧 B. IV Drip Rate (gtt/min)
For manual IV sets (not pump-controlled):
> Volume (mL) × Drop factor (gtt/mL)
÷ Time (min) = gtt/min
Example:
1000 mL over 8 hrs using 15 gtt/mL set
→ 1000 × 15 ÷ 480 = 31.25 ≈ 31 gtt/min
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💉 C. mL/hr for IV pump:
> Volume (mL) ÷ Time (hr) = mL/hr
Example:
500 mL over 4 hrs → 500 ÷ 4 = 125 mL/hr
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⚖️ D. Weight-based Dosage:
> mg/kg/day or mg/kg/dose
Example:
Order: 10 mg/kg/day
Patient: 20 kg
→ 10 × 20 = 200 mg/day
If BID → 200 ÷ 2 = 100 mg per dose
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📚 SAMPLE NCLEX-STYLE QUESTIONS
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1. A patient is ordered 600 mg of ibuprofen. Available: 300 mg tablets. How many
tablets will the nurse give?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 1.5
✅ Answer: B. 2 tablets
🧮 600 ÷ 300 = 2
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2. A nurse is to administer 500 mL NS over 4 hours via infusion pump. What is the
correct rate?
A. 100 mL/hr
B. 125 mL/hr
C. 150 mL/hr
D. 175 mL/hr
✅ Answer: B. 125 mL/hr
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3. The nurse administers a medication via sublingual route. What instruction should
the nurse give?
A. Swallow the tablet with water
B. Place the tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve
C. Chew the tablet slowly
D. Crush the tablet and mix with food
✅ Answer: B
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4. A client with liver disease has a reduced ability to metabolize medications. Which
pharmacokinetic process is affected?
A. Absorption
B. Distribution
C. Metabolism
D. Excretion
✅ Answer: C. Metabolism
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5. A child weighing 25 kg is ordered 5 mg/kg/dose of a medication BID. What is the
total daily dose?
A. 50 mg
B. 100 mg
C. 125 mg
D. 250 mg
✅ Answer: D. 250 mg
🧮 5 × 25 = 125 per dose × 2 = 250 mg/day
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