TheoryNCP Nurse Competency Prep
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30 free NCP Nurse Competency Prep questions
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NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A patient is ordered acetaminophen 650 mg PO. The medication is available as 325 mg tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
Correct — D. Using the formula: Desired dose (650 mg) divided by Available dose (325 mg per tablet) = 650 / 325 = 2 tablets. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A physician orders 1000 mL of 0.9% Normal Saline to infuse over 8 hours. What is the correct infusion rate in mL/hr?
Correct — C. To calculate mL/hr: Total volume (1000 mL) divided by Time in hours (8 hours) = 1000 / 8 = 125 mL/hr. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
An IV is ordered to infuse at 50 mL/hr using tubing with a drop factor of 15 gtt/mL. What is the correct drip rate in drops per minute?
Correct — B. Formula: (mL/hr × drop factor) / 60 minutes = (50 × 15) / 60 = 750 / 60 = 12.5, rounded to 13 gtt/min. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A child weighing 44 pounds is prescribed amoxicillin 20 mg/kg/day divided into three doses. What is the dose per administration in mg?
Correct — A. First convert pounds to kg: 44 lb / 2.2 = 20 kg. Daily dose: 20 kg × 20 mg/kg = 400 mg/day. Per dose: 400 mg / 3 doses = 133.3 mg, rounded to 133 mg per dose. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A medication order reads morphine sulfate 8 mg IM. The available vial contains 10 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse draw up?
Correct — D. Using the formula: Desired dose (8 mg) divided by Available concentration (10 mg/mL) = 8 / 10 = 0.8 mL. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
Convert 0.5 grams to milligrams.
Correct — C. To convert grams to milligrams, multiply by 1000. Therefore, 0.5 g × 1000 = 500 mg. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A heparin drip is ordered at 1200 units/hr. The IV bag contains 25,000 units in 500 mL. What is the infusion rate in mL/hr?
Correct — B. Using ratio-proportion: 25,000 units : 500 mL = 1200 units : X mL. Cross multiply: 25,000X = 600,000. X = 600,000 / 25,000 = 24 mL/hr. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A patient is to receive cefazolin 500 mg IM. The powder must be reconstituted with 2 mL of sterile water to yield 225 mg/mL. How many mL will the nurse administer?
Correct — A. After reconstitution, the concentration is 225 mg/mL. Using the formula: Desired dose (500 mg) divided by Available concentration (225 mg/mL) = 500 / 225 = 2.22 mL, rounded to 2.2 mL. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A safe dosage range for digoxin is 0.125 to 0.25 mg daily. A physician orders 0.5 mg PO daily. What should the nurse do?
Correct — D. The ordered dose of 0.5 mg exceeds the maximum safe dose of 0.25 mg daily (it is double the maximum). The nurse should question this order with the physician before administering to prevent toxicity. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
An IV of 250 mL is to infuse over 2 hours using a microdrip set (60 gtt/mL). What is the drip rate in gtt/min?
Correct — C. For microdrip (60 gtt/mL), the drip rate equals the hourly rate. First find mL/hr: 250 mL / 2 hr = 125 mL/hr. With microdrip, 125 mL/hr = 125 gtt/min. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A patient weighs 176 pounds. The medication order is for 5 mg/kg. What is the correct total dose in mg?
Correct — B. First convert pounds to kg: 176 lb / 2.2 = 80 kg. Then calculate dose: 80 kg × 5 mg/kg = 400 mg. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
An order reads: Give potassium chloride 30 mEq PO. Available: 20 mEq per 15 mL. How many mL should be administered?
Correct — A. Using ratio-proportion: 20 mEq : 15 mL = 30 mEq : X mL. Cross multiply: 20X = 450. X = 450 / 20 = 22.5 mL. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
Regular insulin is ordered at 8 units/hr via infusion pump. The IV bag contains 100 units in 100 mL of 0.9% NS. What is the infusion rate in mL/hr?
Correct — D. The concentration is 100 units in 100 mL = 1 unit/mL. To deliver 8 units/hr: 8 units / 1 unit per mL = 8 mL/hr. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
Convert 2.5 liters to milliliters.
Correct — C. To convert liters to milliliters, multiply by 1000. Therefore, 2.5 L × 1000 = 2500 mL. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A child weighing 15 kg is prescribed phenytoin 5 mg/kg/day in two divided doses. What is the amount per dose in mg?
Correct — B. Calculate total daily dose: 15 kg × 5 mg/kg = 75 mg/day. Divide by 2 doses: 75 mg / 2 = 37.5 mg per dose. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A medication label reads 250 mcg per tablet. The order is for 0.5 mg. How many tablets should be given?
Correct — A. First convert 0.5 mg to mcg: 0.5 mg × 1000 = 500 mcg. Then: 500 mcg / 250 mcg per tablet = 2 tablets. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
An IV infusion of 1500 mL is ordered to run at 100 mL/hr. How many hours will it take to infuse completely?
Correct — D. Total volume (1500 mL) divided by infusion rate (100 mL/hr) = 1500 / 100 = 15 hours. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A patient is to receive vancomycin 1 gram in 250 mL over 90 minutes. What is the infusion rate in mL/hr?
Correct — C. Convert 90 minutes to hours: 90 / 60 = 1.5 hours. Then calculate rate: 250 mL / 1.5 hr = 166.7 mL/hr, rounded to 167 mL/hr. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
An order reads: Administer ondansetron 0.15 mg/kg IV. The patient weighs 132 pounds. What is the correct dose in mg?
Correct — B. Convert weight to kg: 132 lb / 2.2 = 60 kg. Calculate dose: 60 kg × 0.15 mg/kg = 9 mg. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A patient is receiving dopamine at 12 mL/hr. The IV bag contains 400 mg in 250 mL D5W. How many mcg/min is the patient receiving?
Correct — A. First find mg/hr: (400 mg / 250 mL) × 12 mL/hr = 19.2 mg/hr. Convert to mcg/min: (19.2 mg × 1000 mcg/mg) / 60 min = 19,200 / 60 = 320 mcg/min. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
Which pharmacokinetic process describes the movement of a drug from the site of administration into the bloodstream?
Correct — D. Absorption is the process by which a drug moves from its site of administration (such as the GI tract, muscle, or skin) into the systemic circulation. This is the first phase of pharmacokinetics. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A drug with a half-life of 6 hours is administered at 0800. Approximately what percentage of the original dose remains in the body at 2000?
Correct — C. After one half-life (6 hours, at 1400), 50% remains. After two half-lives (12 hours, at 2000), 25% of the original dose remains. Each half-life reduces the drug concentration by half. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
The therapeutic index of a drug is best defined as the relationship between which two factors?
Correct — B. The therapeutic index is the ratio between the dose that produces toxicity and the dose that produces a therapeutic effect. A wider therapeutic index indicates a safer drug with a larger margin between effective and toxic doses. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
Which term describes the percentage of an administered drug dose that reaches systemic circulation in unchanged form?
Correct — A. Bioavailability refers to the fraction of an administered dose that reaches the systemic circulation unchanged and is available to produce its therapeutic effect. Intravenous drugs have 100% bioavailability, while oral drugs may have lower bioavailability due to first-pass metabolism. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A drug that binds to a receptor but does not activate it and prevents other substances from binding is classified as which of the following?
Correct — D. An antagonist binds to a receptor without activating it and blocks the binding of agonists or endogenous ligands, thereby preventing receptor activation and the associated biological response. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
The first-pass effect primarily affects drugs administered by which route?
Correct — C. The first-pass effect occurs when oral drugs are absorbed from the GI tract into the portal circulation and metabolized by the liver before reaching systemic circulation. This can significantly reduce the bioavailability of orally administered drugs. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
Which pharmacokinetic process involves the reversible transfer of a drug between body compartments such as blood, tissues, and organs?
Correct — A. Distribution is the process by which a drug is transported from the bloodstream to various tissues and organs throughout the body. Factors affecting distribution include blood flow, protein binding, and tissue permeability. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A patient is receiving a drug with a narrow therapeutic index. What is the primary nursing implication for this patient?
Correct — C. A narrow therapeutic index means there is a small margin between therapeutic and toxic doses. Close monitoring of drug levels and patient response is essential to prevent toxicity while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A patient receiving vancomycin infusion develops flushing, pruritus, and hypotension. Which adverse reaction should the nurse suspect?
Correct — B. Red man syndrome is a vancomycin-related adverse effect characterized by flushing, pruritus, hypotension, and sometimes chest pain. It occurs due to histamine release when the drug is infused too rapidly. -
NCP Nurse Competency Prep
A patient is prescribed warfarin therapy. Which laboratory value is most important for the nurse to monitor?
Correct — D. INR (International Normalized Ratio) is the laboratory value used to monitor warfarin effectiveness and adjust dosing. Therapeutic range is typically 2-3 for most indications.
NCP Nurse Competency Prep sample questions
Tap any question below to reveal the answer and a plain-English explanation.
NCP Nurse Competency Prep The therapeutic index of a drug is best defined as the relationship between which two factors?
A. The absorption rate and the elimination rate
B. The toxic dose and the therapeutic dose ✓
C. The peak level and the trough level
D. The loading dose and the maintenance dose
Correct — B. The therapeutic index is the ratio between the dose that produces toxicity and the dose that produces a therapeutic effect. A wider therapeutic index indicates a safer drug with a larger margin between effective and toxic doses.
NCP Nurse Competency Prep Which term describes the percentage of an administered drug dose that reaches systemic circulation in unchanged form?
A. Bioavailability ✓
B. Half-life
C. Therapeutic index
D. Peak concentration
Correct — A. Bioavailability refers to the fraction of an administered dose that reaches the systemic circulation unchanged and is available to produce its therapeutic effect. Intravenous drugs have 100% bioavailability, while oral drugs may have lower bioavailability due to first-pass metabolism.
NCP Nurse Competency Prep A drug that binds to a receptor but does not activate it and prevents other substances from binding is classified as which of the following?
A. Agonist
B. Partial agonist
C. Prodrug
D. Antagonist ✓
Correct — D. An antagonist binds to a receptor without activating it and blocks the binding of agonists or endogenous ligands, thereby preventing receptor activation and the associated biological response.
NCP Nurse Competency Prep The first-pass effect primarily affects drugs administered by which route?
A. Sublingual
B. Intramuscular
C. Oral ✓
D. Intravenous
Correct — C. The first-pass effect occurs when oral drugs are absorbed from the GI tract into the portal circulation and metabolized by the liver before reaching systemic circulation. This can significantly reduce the bioavailability of orally administered drugs.
NCP Nurse Competency Prep Which pharmacokinetic process involves the reversible transfer of a drug between body compartments such as blood, tissues, and organs?
A. Distribution ✓
B. Absorption
C. Metabolism
D. Excretion
Correct — A. Distribution is the process by which a drug is transported from the bloodstream to various tissues and organs throughout the body. Factors affecting distribution include blood flow, protein binding, and tissue permeability.
NCP Nurse Competency Prep A patient is receiving a drug with a narrow therapeutic index. What is the primary nursing implication for this patient?
A. Loading doses are contraindicated
B. The drug has minimal side effects
C. Close monitoring is required because the margin between therapeutic and toxic doses is small ✓
D. The drug can be given at varying doses with minimal risk
Correct — C. A narrow therapeutic index means there is a small margin between therapeutic and toxic doses. Close monitoring of drug levels and patient response is essential to prevent toxicity while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness.
NCP Nurse Competency Prep A patient receiving vancomycin infusion develops flushing, pruritus, and hypotension. Which adverse reaction should the nurse suspect?
A. Stevens-Johnson syndrome
B. Red man syndrome ✓
C. Anaphylaxis
D. Nephrotoxicity
Correct — B. Red man syndrome is a vancomycin-related adverse effect characterized by flushing, pruritus, hypotension, and sometimes chest pain. It occurs due to histamine release when the drug is infused too rapidly.
NCP Nurse Competency Prep A patient is prescribed warfarin therapy. Which laboratory value is most important for the nurse to monitor?
A. Platelet count
B. Hemoglobin
C. White blood cell count
D. INR ✓
Correct — D. INR (International Normalized Ratio) is the laboratory value used to monitor warfarin effectiveness and adjust dosing. Therapeutic range is typically 2-3 for most indications.
About the NCP Nurse Competency Prep test
The NCP Nurse Competency Prep measures the Nursing/Medical knowledge you'll actually rely on — tested the way the real exam asks it, not with trick questions. Practising real NCP Nurse Competency Prep-style questions, then sitting a full timed mock exam, is the fastest way to walk in knowing you'll pass.
You will be tested on
- Safe and effective care environment
- Health promotion and maintenance
- Psychosocial and physiological integrity
- Pharmacology, infection control and patient safety
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Topics in this question bank
Safe and effective care environment
Health promotion and maintenance
Psychosocial and physiological integrity
Pharmacology, infection control and patient safety
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