A patient tells the nurse that he was told by the prescriber that the analgesic he is taking is very effective. Which statement by the patient demonstrates an understanding of the drug's effectiveness?
a. "I don't have to worry about toxicity, since it takes a large amount of this drug to cause an overdose."
b. "It has no side effects and doesn't interact with other drugs."
c. "I only have to take it every 12 hours."
d. "It might make me sleepy, and it lessens pain for several hours at a time."
ANS: D
A drug is effective if it produces the intended effects, even if it also produces side effects. Because no drug is completely safe, the level of toxicity does not determine effectiveness. All drugs have side effects and many react with other substances; these do not affect the drug's effectiveness. Ease of administration is independent of a drug's effectiveness.
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