This medicine makes me sleepy, it is a...

Appeared in: MNS 2015

Explanation

The sentence structure 'it is a...' requires a noun to complete the thought and name the type of medicine.
A 'sedative' is the correct pharmacological noun for a drug that induces calmness, drowsiness, or sleep.
The medicine's effect is making the person 'sleepy,' which aligns with the primary action of a sedative drug, a type of CNS depressant.

Option A: This is not a valid medical or English word for a type of drug. It may be confused with 'sedentary,' which means inactive or sitting.
Option C: This word is a verb or an adjective, not a noun. The sentence requires a noun to name the medicine.
Option D: This is a verb that means to increase nervous or physiological activity, which is the opposite of making someone sleepy.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Pharmacological Terminology and Parts of Speech as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Using precise medical terminology is critical for clear and safe communication among healthcare professionals and for effective patient education.
Nurses must educate patients about the common side effects of sedatives, such as drowsiness, and advise them to avoid activities requiring alertness, like driving or operating heavy machinery.
What if? the sentence was 'The doctor will ___ the patient before the procedure?' In that case, the verb 'sedate' would be the correct word to use, referring to the action of administering the drug.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the grammatical structure of the sentence: 'This medicine... is a...'. This structure indicates the need for a noun to identify or name the medicine.
Next, identify the key effect described in the stem: 'makes me sleepy'. This points to a drug that causes drowsiness or sedation.
Evaluate each option based on its part of speech (noun, verb, adjective) and its meaning.
Eliminate 'Sedent' as it is not a recognized term for a drug.
Eliminate 'Sedate' because it's a verb or an adjective, and a noun is needed here.
Eliminate 'Stimulate' as its meaning is the opposite of causing sleepiness.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Pharmacology Nursing Lilley 11e Part 1 p. 204-206

Practise the full MNS 2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.