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Japan National Nursing Examination Pharmacology: practice questions

Japan National Nursing Examination · Japan · Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Japan

Original practice questions written to the published syllabus · not past papers
10worked here, free
91written to this exam in this subject
19syllabus units

What this subject covers

What a medicine does, and what it does to this person

In the exams: NORCET: Mains — nursing practice, case-scenario based (100 questions); NORCET: Prelims — nursing syllabus (80 of 100 questions); NCLEX-RN: Physiological Integrity (43–67%); NMC Test of Competence — CBT: Part A — Numeracy (15 marks, 90% to pass); Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination: Medical-surgical and psychiatric nursing (Papers 4 and 5); Japan National Nursing Examination: Human structure, function and disease (Core across both sections); NMCN Professional Examination: Medical and surgical nursing (Core paper); Nursing Council of Kenya Licensure Examination: Medical and surgical nursing (Core)

Where the 91 questions fall

How our questions for Japan National Nursing Examination spread across the units of Pharmacology. Difficulty: 19 easy, 53 medium, 19 hard.

End-of-manual check12
Calculation8
Pain and Sedation5
Heart and Circulation Medicines5
Routes and Formulations5
Why Nurses Study This Separately4
What The Body Does To A Drug4
What A Drug Does To The Body4
Reading a Prescription4
Medicines That Fight Infection4
Diabetes and Hormone Medicines4
Breathing, Brain and Mental Health Medicines4
Older People and Many Medicines at Once4
Pregnancy, Children and Special Groups4
Where Supply Is Unreliable4
When Something Goes Wrong4
Stewardship and the Bigger Picture4
Controlled and High-Alert Medicines4
Being Examined On This4

10 practice questions, worked

Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.

1 · End-of-manual check · medium

What is a prescribing cascade?

  1. A planned sequence of medicines prescribed one after another for one condition
  2. A protocol for increasing a dose over time
  3. A side effect treated as a new problem with another medicine
  4. A series of prescriptions written at one review
Answer and working

C. A side effect treated as a new problem with another medicine

One medicine causes an effect, that effect is treated with a second, and the second causes a third. Recognising it requires somebody to ask when the symptom began relative to when the medicine began, which nurses are well placed to do.

Further reading: SUNYRA nursing manual: Pharmacology for Nurses

2 · Why Nurses Study This Separately · easy

At which stage of the medicine process is the nurse usually the last person able to stop an error?

  1. Prescribing by the doctor
  2. Dispensing in the pharmacy
  3. Manufacturing at the factory
  4. Administration
Answer and working

D. Administration

Medicines are prescribed, dispensed and administered. The nurse at administration is the final check before the medicine reaches the patient.

Further reading: Laisha original question, written to the SUNYRA nursing manual: Pharmacology

3 · Reading a Prescription · easy

Which item must a prescription include?

  1. The giving nurse's home address
  2. The patient's religion
  3. The cost of the drug
  4. The route of administration
Answer and working

D. The route of administration

Prescriptions state patient identity, drug, strength, dose, route, frequency, start and stop dates, prescriber and allergies.

Further reading: Laisha original question, written to the SUNYRA nursing manual: Pharmacology

4 · Reading a Prescription · medium

A prescription looks wrong to the nurse. What is the correct action?

  1. Give it, since the prescriber is responsible for any error in it
  2. Withhold it and query the prescriber before giving
  3. Change the dose to what seems right
  4. Give half the dose as a compromise
Answer and working

B. Withhold it and query the prescriber before giving

Querying a doubtful prescription before administration is a professional duty; the nurse never alters a prescription.

Further reading: Laisha original question, written to the SUNYRA nursing manual: Pharmacology

5 · Calculation · medium

Convert 0.25 mg to micrograms.

  1. 2.5 micrograms
  2. 2,500 micrograms
  3. 250 micrograms
  4. 25 micrograms
Answer and working

C. 250 micrograms

1 mg = 1,000 micrograms, so 0.25 x 1,000 = 250 micrograms. Writing 'micrograms' in full avoids confusion with mg.

Further reading: Laisha original question, written to the SUNYRA nursing manual: Pharmacology

6 · Medicines That Fight Infection · medium

A patient wants to stop antibiotics on day 3 because they feel better. What should the nurse explain?

  1. The course length is set to clear the infection
  2. Antibiotics work only after the course ends
  3. Doubling the remaining doses ends the course sooner with the same effect
  4. Stopping early is fine once symptoms improve
Answer and working

A. The course length is set to clear the infection

Explaining why the duration matters improves completion. Courses are set by evidence and are reviewed by the prescriber, not stopped by symptom alone.

Further reading: Laisha original question, written to the SUNYRA nursing manual: Pharmacology

7 · Pain and Sedation · medium

Which drug reverses opioid-induced respiratory depression?

  1. Atropine sulfate
  2. Naloxone
  3. Flumazenil
  4. Protamine
Answer and working

B. Naloxone

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist; its effect can wear off before the opioid's, so observation continues. Flumazenil reverses benzodiazepines; protamine reverses heparin.

Further reading: Laisha original question, written to the SUNYRA nursing manual: Pharmacology

8 · When Something Goes Wrong · easy

What is the first treatment for anaphylaxis?

  1. Intramuscular adrenaline
  2. Inhaled steroids
  3. Intravenous antibiotics first
  4. Oral antihistamine
Answer and working

A. Intramuscular adrenaline

Adrenaline intramuscularly into the thigh, repeated if needed, with airway support, fluids and help; antihistamines and steroids are secondary.

Further reading: Laisha original question, written to the SUNYRA nursing manual: Pharmacology

9 · When Something Goes Wrong · medium

Why are suspected adverse reactions reported to the national pharmacovigilance scheme?

  1. To request a free replacement supply
  2. To prove that the nurse made an error
  3. Rare reactions are found after licensing through them
  4. To claim compensation for the patient from the manufacturer
Answer and working

C. Rare reactions are found after licensing through them

Spontaneous reporting detects rare and long-term harms that trials miss.

Further reading: Laisha original question, written to the SUNYRA nursing manual: Pharmacology

10 · Controlled and High-Alert Medicines · medium

Which group recurs on high-alert medicine lists worldwide?

  1. Antacids, eye drops, emollients and saline nasal sprays
  2. Anticoagulants, insulin, opioids, strong potassium
  3. Cough syrups and throat lozenges
  4. Vitamins, minerals and laxatives
Answer and working

B. Anticoagulants, insulin, opioids, strong potassium

Errors with these cause severe harm, so extra checks, standard concentrations and separate storage are used.

Further reading: Laisha original question, written to the SUNYRA nursing manual: Pharmacology

Ten here, 91 in the app. The Laisha app has every practice question we have written to Japan National Nursing Examination in this subject, marked as you go, with timed papers, a jump-to-unanswered list and a certificate when you pass at 70 per cent.

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Read the subject

PharmacologyThe full study manual, free Japan National Nursing ExaminationFormat, sections and how it has changed

More Japan National Nursing Examination practice

Clinical Skills and ProceduresHuman PhysiologyHealth Assessment and Physical ExaminationNursing Foundations IHuman AnatomyPathophysiologyMicrobiology and InfectionNutrition and DieteticsNursing Foundations IIMedication Administration and Safety

Pharmacology for other exams

NORCET · IndiaNursing Council of Kenya Licensure Examination · KenyaNCLEX-RN · United States / Canada / AustraliaNMCN Professional Examination · NigeriaNMC Test of Competence · United KingdomPhilippine Nurse Licensure Examination · Philippines

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