RN Exam Practice
Pharmacological and Parenteral TherapiesQuestion 590 of 2368

A client who has taken prednisone for several months says they feel much better and want to stop the medication. Which response by the nurse is best?

  1. "You may stop it now, since your symptoms have resolved and you feel so much better."
  2. "You may stop it any time you wish, and restart it later if your symptoms return."
  3. "You may stop it after one more week at the same dose, then simply stay off it."
  4. "Do not stop it suddenly because that can cause an Addisonian crisis; the dose will be tapered."
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Correct answer: "Do not stop it suddenly because that can cause an Addisonian crisis; the dose will be tapered."

Long-term corticosteroids must be tapered, not stopped abruptly, because of the risk of Addisonian crisis.

Source: Nursing Pharmacology, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), Endocrine System: Implementation. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026