NCLEX® Pharmacology Practice Questions
Try NCLEX Pharmacology Practice Questions
Test your pharmacology knowledge with this nursing pharmacology quiz. To experience UWorld's official questions, with clinical scenarios, detailed visual rationales, and explanations for every answer choice. See our full library of free NCLEX practice questions.
Priority question - Ramipril
The nurse has taught a client with hypertension who has a new prescription for ramipril.
Which of the following statements by the client would require follow-up?
| 1. “I should discontinue the medication if I develop swelling of my lips or eyes.” | |
| 2. “I will avoid taking a potassium supplement with the medication.” | |
| 3. “I can continue taking the medication if I become pregnant.” | |
| 4. “I may develop a dry cough while taking the medication.” |
Intervene question - Sertraline
The nurse is caring for a client who is receiving sertraline
It would require follow-up if the client reports
| 1. drowsiness and fatigue | |
| 2. diaphoresis and fever | |
| 3. decreased libido | |
| 4. weight gain |
Plan of care question - Vancomycin
The nurse is caring for a client who is receiving IV vancomycin through a peripheral venous access device (PVAD).
Which of the following actions should the nurse take? Select all that apply.
| 1. Instruct the client to report any hearing changes. | |
| 2. Monitor the VAD insertion site frequently for erythema and swelling. | |
| 3. Use an infusion pump to administer the medication over 20 minutes. | |
| 4. Check the client’s serum creatinine level prior to administering the medication. | |
| 5. Obtain a serum trough level after administering a scheduled dose of the medication. |
Medication/Risk factor/Manifestation question - Warfarin
The nurse is caring for a client with a new mechanical heart valve. The nurse should expect that the client will be prescribed
| 1. warfarin | |
| 2. dabigatran | |
| 3. tacrolimus | |
| 4. apixaban |
Teaching question - Lactulose
The nurse has taught the spouse of a client with hepatic encephalopathy who is receiving lactulose.
Which of the following statements by the client’s spouse would indicate a correct understanding of the teaching?
| 1. “The medication may cause constipation.” | |
| 2. “The medication is administered as an injection.” | |
| 3. “The medication will improve my spouse's confusion.” | |
| 4. “The medication will decrease my spouse’s liver enzyme levels.” |
Priority question - Narcan second dose
The nurse is preparing a staff education program about naloxone. Which of the following information should the nurse include?
| 1. “Naloxone may require repeat dosing.” | |
| 2. “Naloxone should be administered if a client is drowsy but easily aroused.” | |
| 3. “Naloxone promotes abstinence from addictive substances.” | |
| 4. “Naloxone administration is indicated for clients with cannabis intoxication." |
Intervene question - Penicillin/Cephalosporin cross sensitivity
The nurse is preparing to administer cefazolin to a client. Which of the following findings would require follow-up prior to administering the medication?
| 1. “History of anaphylaxis from ampicillin.” | |
| 2. “History of asthma during childhood.” | |
| 3. “Temperature of 102.5° F (39.2° C).” | |
| 4. “Heart rate of 120/min.” |
Plan of care question - Steroids
The nurse is planning a staff education program about glucocorticoids. Which of the following information should the nurse include?
| 1. “Glucocorticoids may increase antibody response to vaccinations.” | |
| 2. “Abrupt discontinuation of glucocorticoids should be avoided.” | |
| 3. “Oral administration of glucocorticoids impairs absorption.” | |
| 4. “Glucocorticoids are metabolized by the kidneys.” |
Medication/Risk factor/Manifestation question - Neupogen/Neulasta
The nurse is teaching a client with osteosarcoma who has a new prescription for Filgrastim. Which of the following information should the nurse include?
| 1. “Filgrastim is taken before chemotherapy treatments.” | |
| 2. “Neutropenia is a risk factor for taking Filgrastim.” | |
| 3. “Bone pain is an adverse effect of Filgrastim use.” | |
| 4. “Kostmann syndrome is a risk factor for Filgrastim.” |
Teaching question - Antibiotic (doxycycline)
The nurse is teaching a client who has a new prescription for doxycycline. Which of the following statements by the client would indicate a correct understanding of the teaching?
| 1. “I can expect to experience yellowing of the skin and eyes while taking the medication.” | |
| 2. “I should take the medication with a glass of milk before bed.” | |
| 3. “I will discontinue the medication when I have a temperature less than 101°F (38.3°C).” | |
| 4. “I need to limit my sun exposure while taking the medication.” |
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who writes UWorld's pharmacology NCLEX questions?
Every UWorld question is crafted through a rigorous, multi-step authoring process. A dedicated team of over 40+ practicing nurses and nurse educators writes, reviews, and continuously updates each item to ensure it meets strict NCSBN standards and matches the difficulty of the actual exam.
Our clinical team also works alongside professional designers with advanced degrees to create the medical illustrations and visuals that accompany each explanation. The result is a QBank that doesn’t just test you, it teaches you the clinical reasoning behind every answer.
How much is pharmacology tested on the NCLEX?
Pharmacology falls under the “Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies” category of the official NCLEX test plan, accounting for approximately 12% to 18% of the total exam. However, pharmacological concepts are also integrated into NGN Unfolding Case Studies across every body system, so the actual volume of drug-related questions you’ll face is higher than that percentage alone suggests.
What are the most important drugs to know for the NCLEX?
Focus on high-alert medications that carry the greatest risk of patient harm: Digoxin, Warfarin, Heparin, Lithium, Insulin, opioid analgesics, and IV potassium. Beyond individual drugs, learn the major drug classes by their suffixes: beta-blockers (-olol), ACE inhibitors (-pril), statins (-statin), benzodiazepines (-lam, -pam), so you can reason through unfamiliar drug names on exam day.
What is the best way to study pharmacology for the NCLEX?
The most effective approach is grouping drugs by class and suffix rather than memorizing individual generic names, then practicing with NCLEX-style questions that force you to apply that knowledge in clinical scenarios. Focus on adverse effects and nursing interventions rather than expected therapeutic outcomes, that’s what the NCLEX actually tests.
What makes UWorld's pharmacology questions different from other QBanks?
Three things. First, every question comes with an in-depth explanation that covers every answer choice, correct and incorrect, so you understand the reasoning, not just the answer.
Second, our questions are written to match the difficulty and clinical judgment demands of the actual NCLEX, not simplified recall questions.
Third, our explanations include professionally designed medical illustrations that visualize drug mechanisms, adverse effect pathways, and lab relationships, the kind of context that makes pharmacology click instead of requiring brute-force memorization.
How many pharmacology questions does UWorld's QBank include?
UWorld’s NCLEX QBank includes hundreds of pharmacology questions spanning every major drug class and body system tested on the boards. You can filter by pharmacology specifically when creating custom practice tests, making it easy to target drug knowledge as a focused study area or to drill into a specific drug class you’re struggling with.
Does UWorld cover Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) question types for pharmacology?
Yes. Our QBank includes every NGN item type, Unfolding Case Studies, Bow-tie, Matrix, Extended SATA, Drag-and-Drop, Drop-Down, Highlight, and Trend questions, across all subjects including pharmacology. You’ll practice the exact question formats you’ll face on exam day, with the same partial-credit scoring the real NGN uses.
How does partial credit work on NGN pharmacology questions?
The Next Generation NCLEX uses a plus/minus (+/−) scoring model for Select All That Apply (SATA) and other scored NGN item types. You earn points for correct selections and lose points for incorrect ones. The lowest possible score on any individual item is zero, you cannot receive a negative score.
What is the best way to memorize drug names for nursing school?
The most efficient method is learning drug suffixes rather than individual names: -olol for beta-blockers, -pril for ACE inhibitors, -statin for cholesterol-lowering drugs, -prazole for proton pump inhibitors. This lets you identify a drug’s class, mechanism, side effects, and nursing considerations even for drugs you’ve never studied. Combine suffix knowledge with active recall through practice questions for the strongest long-term retention.
Can I use UWorld to focus specifically on pharmacology?
Yes. UWorld lets you create unlimited custom practice tests filtered by subject, body system, question status, and difficulty level. Select “Pharmacology” to generate a practice test made entirely of drug-related questions, or combine it with a specific system filter (e.g., Cardiovascular + Pharmacology) to drill into the exact intersection you nee
Does UWorld offer a free trial for NCLEX pharmacology practice?
Yes. UWorld offers a 7-day free trial that includes 50 exam-style NCLEX practice questions with full in-depth explanations and access to review videos, no credit card required. It’s the fastest way to experience how UWorld teaches pharmacology differently
*98% of UWorld NCLEX-RN Review users who completed at least 75% of the QBank passed the NCLEX-RN the first time.