Once pharmacotherapy is initiated, ongoing assessments are conducted to determine?

• A. The effectiveness of the medication
• B. The patient’s preference for the medication
• C. The cost to the patient
• D. The nurse’s workload

Answer: (A)

Evaluating therapeutic effectiveness is the focus after pharmacotherapy begins. Once the medicine is started, you continuously assess whether it achieves the intended clinical goals and whether it remains safe for the patient. This means observing changes in symptoms, functional status, and relevant objective measures or lab results, as well as noting any adverse effects. The findings guide decisions about continuing the drug, adjusting the dose, or changing therapy. While patient preferences, cost, and workload matter for overall care, they don’t determine whether the medication is actually working.