The nurse learns that a patient cannot afford a prescribed medication and enlists the assistance of the social worker and an outside agency to provide medications at a lower cost. Which QSEN competency do the nurse’s actions best demonstrate?

a) Lung function primarily affects gas exchange and respiratory function but does not significantly influence drug absorption.

b) Kidney function is important for drug excretion rather than absorption. It impacts drug elimination and toxicity risk rather than how well a drug is absorbed.

c) Liver function plays a key role in drug metabolism. Poor liver function can alter drug absorption and metabolism, particularly for orally administered drugs that undergo the first-pass effect.

d) The route of administration directly impacts drug absorption. For example, intravenous (IV) drugs bypass absorption entirely, while oral medications must go through the digestive system before entering circulation.

a) Phase I studies focus on assessing the safety, dosing, and side effects of a drug in healthy volunteers, not its clinical effectiveness or potential new uses.

b) Phase II studies evaluate the drug's effectiveness and safety in a small group of patients with the targeted condition but do not focus on potential new uses.

c) Phase III studies are large-scale trials conducted to confirm the drug's effectiveness and safety before approval but do not typically involve studying new uses of the drug.

d) Phase IV studies occur after a drug has been approved and marketed. These studies, often called post-marketing surveillance, evaluate the drug's effectiveness and safety in the general population and investigate new potential uses or long-term effects.