Exam prep · Pharmacology exam
Pharmacology is the course nursing students fear most, and the one that flashcards fit best. Almost every question comes down to a drug class, its prototype, the suffix that identifies it, the side effects to watch for and the nursing action that follows. The deck below covers the common classes; build the rest from your own drug guide, class by class.
Updated 2026-10-23. Decks are shared by Quizcard and its users; study them on the page or copy them into a free account.
Missing a topic? Upload the chapter from your prep book and Quizcard builds the deck for you, grouped by topic, with figures kept from PDFs. How it works.
Each quiz scores you at the end and explains every answer. Redo it any time; the questions reshuffle.
Match insulin types to onset and peak.
Answer: Rapid (lispro): onset 15 min, peak 1 h. Regular: onset 30 min, peak 2–3 h. NPH: onset 1–2 h, peak 4–12 h. Long-acting (glargine): no pronounced peak.
Hypoglycemia risk is highest at peak times.
What should be monitored with phenytoin?
Answer: Serum levels (10–20 mcg/mL), gingival hyperplasia, and signs of toxicity such as nystagmus and ataxia.
Do not stop abruptly; good oral hygiene helps gums.
What range is therapeutic for lithium and what are signs of toxicity?
Answer: About 0.6–1.2 mEq/L; toxicity shows as coarse tremor, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, and ataxia.
Maintain steady sodium and fluid intake; dehydration raises levels.
What dietary restriction applies to MAOIs?
Answer: Avoid tyramine-rich foods (aged cheese, cured meats, red wine) to prevent hypertensive crisis.
Includes phenelzine and tranylcypromine.
What is serotonin syndrome and what causes it?
Answer: A dangerous excess of serotonin: agitation, hyperthermia, tremor, diarrhea; caused by combining SSRIs with MAOIs, tramadol, or other serotonergic drugs.
SSRIs can take 4–6 weeks for full effect; monitor for suicidal ideation early.
What should patients avoid while taking metronidazole?
Answer: Alcohol, during and for 48–72 hours after, because of a disulfiram-like reaction.
Metallic taste is a common side effect.
Showing 6 of 30 cards. Study the whole deck or copy it into your account.
You do not. You memorize about 30 classes with their suffixes and prototypes, then a shorter list of individual high-alert drugs. Flashcards by class keep the volume manageable.
Yes. Upload the PDF chapter and the deck comes back grouped by drug class, including any tables as card figures. Two generated documents are free.
It covers the common drug classes. Pair it with your program’s drug list and cards from your own missed practice questions.
As client scenarios under Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies: expected effects, adverse effects, interactions, dosage calculation and medication administration. The NCLEX-RN hub has the full test plan.
Official information: OpenStax: Pharmacology for Nurses, NCSBN: NCLEX-RN test plan. Formats and weights change; check the official page before test day.
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