RN Exam Practice
Pharmacological and Parenteral TherapiesQuestion 1717 of 2368

A client asks why the prescriber ordered an oral medication several times before the effect is seen. Which explanation should the nurse give?

  1. Oral drugs bypass the liver completely and begin to act on the body at once
  2. Oral drugs are fully absorbed by the stomach lining into the bloodstream
  3. The liver breaks down part of an oral drug before it reaches the circulation
  4. Oral drugs enter the circulation directly through the skin and mucous membranes
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Correct answer: The liver breaks down part of an oral drug before it reaches the circulation

The first-pass effect reduces the active drug that reaches circulation. Several oral doses may be needed before enough free drug stays active.

Source: Nursing Pharmacology, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics: First-Pass Effect. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026