Lehne’s Pharmacology for Nursing Care, by Jacqueline Rosenjack Burchum and Laura D. Rosenthal, teaches nursing pharmacology through prototype drugs grouped by body system: 112 chapters in the 11th edition (2021) and 113 in the current 12th (2024). Study it one drug class at a time. Learn the prototype in depth, note how its relatives differ, then quiz yourself on the chapter.
Key takeaways
- The newest edition is the 12th (Elsevier; published January 2024, copyright 2025; ISBN 978-0-443-10710-8), with 113 chapters in 19 units. The 11th (2021; ISBN 978-0-323-82522-1) has 112 chapters in 20 units.
- From the 11th to the 12th, one chapter was added (Transgender Health, chapter 70). Chapters 1–69 keep their numbers, and every chapter after that moves up by one.
- From the 10th to the 11th, new genetics and immunomodulator chapters and a split muscarinic chapter pushed most chapter numbers up by two to four.
- Three units (central nervous system, heart and blood, infectious disease) hold 49 of the 12th edition’s 113 chapters.
- NCSBN’s 2026 NCLEX-RN test plan assigns 13–19% of items to Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies.
About Lehne’s Pharmacology for Nursing Care
It’s Elsevier’s long-running nursing pharmacology text, and the title keeps the Lehne name while Burchum and Rosenthal write the current editions. Elsevier describes the readership for the 11th edition as undergraduate nursing students in BSN and higher-level ADN programs.
The book’s teaching tool is the prototype drug: one representative agent explained in depth so you can apply it to the rest of its group. The 11th edition’s description says it uses large print for need-to-know content and small print for nice-to-know material. Elsevier also lists Safety Alerts, drug summary tables and a Summary of Major Nursing Implications at the end of chapters.
Authors, editions and ISBNs
Confirm your edition by the ISBN-13 on the copyright page, not by the cover photo. Our guide on how to find the ISBN of a book shows where to look on print and e-book copies.
| Edition | Released | Chapters | Print ISBN-13 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9th | Dec 2014 | 110 | 978-0-323-32190-7 |
| 10th | 2018 | 110 | 978-0-323-51227-5 |
| 11th | 2021 | 112 | 978-0-323-82522-1 |
| 12th | Jan 2024 (© 2025) | 113 | 978-0-443-10710-8 |
How Lehne’s Pharmacology for Nursing Care Is Organized
Lehne runs from principles to drug families. The first three units (chapters 1–13) cover pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, interactions, adverse reactions and life-span considerations, and the remaining units group drugs by body system, then infection, cancer and toxicology.
Two reading-order points save time. Read Unit IV, the peripheral nervous system drugs (chapters 14–22), before the cardiovascular and respiratory units, because alpha, beta and muscarinic receptor language comes back throughout those chapters. And treat the three amber units as the semester’s heavy lifting: they hold close to half the book.
10th vs 11th vs 12th Edition: What Changed
The core approach stayed the same across all three; the changes are mostly added chapters, renamed chapters and shifted numbering. That shift matters most when a syllabus, a study guide or a question set cites chapter numbers.
- 10th to 11th (110 to 112 chapters): new chapters on genetic and genomic considerations (9) and immunomodulators (10); muscarinic agonists and antagonists split into two chapters; the 10th’s Additional Noteworthy Drugs chapter was dropped; complementary and alternative therapy moved into the nutrition unit; and an appendix of prototype drugs and their major uses was added.
- 11th to 12th (112 to 113 chapters): a new Transgender Health chapter (70), with Women’s and Men’s Health merged into one Reproductive Health unit. Elsevier’s list of changes also cites updated FDA approvals and withdrawals, and NCSBN’s Clinical Judgment Measurement Model in the Application of Pharmacology in Nursing Practice chapter.
- Renamed in the 12th: the Drug Abuse chapters became Substance Use Disorders, Drugs for Epilepsy became Drugs for Seizure Disorders, and Geriatric Patients became Older Adults.
| Topic | 10th | 11th | 12th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacokinetics | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Basic principles of neuropharmacology | 12 | 14 | 14 |
| Adrenergic antagonists (beta blockers) | 18 | 21 | 21 |
| Opioid analgesics | 28 | 31 | 31 |
| Diuretics | 41 | 44 | 44 |
| Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone drugs | 44 | 47 | 47 |
| Heart failure | 48 | 51 | 51 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 57 | 60 | 60 |
| NSAIDs and acetaminophen | 71 | 74 | 75 |
| Asthma and COPD | 76 | 79 | 80 |
| Penicillins | 84 | 88 | 89 |
If your course uses the 12th edition
Use materials built for the 12th. Our Lehne test banks cover the 9th, 10th and 11th editions, not the 12th, and an 11th-edition set won’t reflect the 12th’s new chapter or updated drug content. For the 12th, Elsevier publishes a matching Study Guide (ISBN 978-0-443-10619-4), and you can request a textbook if you want us to look for a 12th-edition set.
The Prototype-Drug Method for Studying Lehne
Learn one drug per class so well that you could teach it, then learn only the differences for the rest of the class. Lehne is built for this: Elsevier’s description says the prototype approach lets you apply your understanding to related drugs, including ones released in the future.
Mechanism, uses, adverse effects, nursing implications
Work through every prototype in the same four steps, in this order, because each step explains the next.
- Mechanism. One or two sentences on what the drug does at the receptor, enzyme or channel.
- Uses. The conditions it treats, and why the mechanism helps each one.
- Adverse effects. Trace each one back to the mechanism where you can. The ones you can’t trace are the ones to drill.
- Nursing implications. What you check before giving it, what you watch for afterward and what you teach.
Worked example: lisinopril
Lehne covers ACE inhibitors in chapter 47, Drugs Acting on the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System, in both the 11th and 12th editions. Here is the four-step pass, checked against the FDA label for Zestril (lisinopril) and MedlinePlus.
- Mechanism: lisinopril inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme, which turns angiotensin I into angiotensin II, a vasoconstrictor that also stimulates aldosterone. Less angiotensin II means less vasoconstriction and less aldosterone.
- Uses: hypertension in adults and children 6 and older, add-on therapy for heart failure, and lowering mortality after an acute myocardial infarction.
- Adverse effects: low blood pressure after starting, high potassium (less aldosterone), cough, changes in kidney function and angioedema. The label carries a boxed warning for fetal toxicity.
- Nursing implications: check blood pressure, especially after the first doses and when a diuretic is added; review potassium and kidney labs as ordered; teach the patient to get emergency help for swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or trouble breathing or swallowing; ask about pregnancy; and tell patients to check with the prescriber before using NSAIDs, potassium supplements or salt substitutes containing potassium.
Now the payoff. Enalapril, ramipril and the other -pril drugs share the mechanism, so most of that list carries over. What changes is mainly dosing and pharmacokinetics, which you look up rather than memorize. Our guide to studying pharmacology in nursing school lists more generic-name stems.
This is a study summary, not dosing or clinical guidance. Follow your program’s textbook, your facility’s policies and your instructor’s reference ranges, since lab ranges vary between laboratories.
High-Yield Lehne Chapters for Pharmacology Exams
The chapters that pay off most are the principles chapters (4–7), the peripheral nervous system unit (14–22) and the fluid, electrolyte and cardiovascular units (44–59), because later chapters keep reusing them. After that, prioritize the classes your instructor lists, and ask which chapters each exam covers.
The NCLEX points the same way. In the 2026 NCLEX-RN test plan, Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies is 13–19% of items, and its activity statements include reviewing contraindications, lab results, allergies and potential interactions before giving a drug, evaluating the client’s response and teaching about medications. So for every class, know what to check before, what to watch after and what to teach.
| Class | Example (stem) | Lehne ch. 11e / 12e | How it works | Check before or after giving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACE inhibitor | lisinopril (-pril) | 47 / 47 | Blocks angiotensin I to II conversion | BP, potassium; angioedema |
| Beta-1 blocker | metoprolol (-olol) | 21 / 21 | Selectively blocks cardiac beta-1 receptors | Pulse and BP; never stop abruptly |
| Loop diuretic | furosemide (no stem) | 44 / 44 | Blocks sodium and chloride reabsorption | Fluid status, potassium, BP, hearing |
| Statin | atorvastatin (-statin) | 53 / 53 | Inhibits HMG-CoA reductase in liver | Unexplained muscle pain or weakness |
| Vitamin K antagonist | warfarin (no stem) | 55 / 55 | Blocks vitamin K-dependent clotting factors | Bleeding signs; regular INR |
| Insulin | regular insulin | 60 / 60 | Drives glucose into muscle and fat | Blood glucose; hypoglycemia signs |
| Proton pump inhibitor | omeprazole (-prazole) | 81 / 82 | Blocks the gastric acid (proton) pump | Give before eating; swallow whole |
| Beta-2 agonist | albuterol (-terol) | 79 / 80 | Relaxes airway smooth muscle | Pulse; needing more doses than usual |
| Penicillin | amoxicillin (-cillin) | 88 / 89 | Inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis | Ask about penicillin allergy first |
| Glucocorticoid | prednisone (-sone) | 75 / 76 | Suppresses inflammation and immune responses | Taper, don’t stop abruptly; glucose, infection |
| Benzodiazepine | lorazepam (-pam) | 37–38 / 37–38 | Acts at GABA-A receptor sites | Sedation and breathing, especially with opioids |
| Opioid agonist | morphine (no stem) | 31 / 31 | Activates mu-opioid receptors | Respirations and sedation; naloxone ready |
Lehne vs Lilley vs Karch vs Clayton
Lehne is the longest of the four and the most focused on mechanisms and physiology; Clayton is the shortest and the most focused on medication administration. The best nursing pharmacology book for you is the one your course assigns, because your exams follow its chapters and terminology.
| Book | Publisher, year | Pages | Built around | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehne’s Pharmacology, 12th (Burchum, Rosenthal) | Elsevier, 2024 | 1,496 | Prototype drugs, with the physiology and pathophysiology behind each drug family | BSN and higher-level ADN courses |
| Pharmacology and the Nursing Process, 11th (Lilley, Collins, Snyder) | Elsevier, 2026 | 992 | Nursing process applied to each drug group; key-drug approach; photo atlas of drug administration | Students who want each class laid out step by step |
| Karch’s Focus on Nursing Pharmacology, 10th (Tucker) | Wolters Kluwer, 2026 | 1,168 | Concise chapters with Prototype Summary boxes | Students who want a shorter read per class |
| Clayton’s Basic Pharmacology for Nurses, 20th (Willihnganz, Gurevitz) | Elsevier, 2025 | 880 | Core drug classes plus a full medication-administration unit | LPN/LVN and ADN programs |
If you’re choosing a supplementary pharmacology textbook for nurses, choose for your gap: Lehne for the why behind side effects, Lilley or Clayton for bedside steps. Our pharmacology test banks for Lilley, Karch and Clayton match earlier editions than those above, so check the ISBN before buying.
Chapter Self-Quizzing With Edition-Matched Practice
Quiz yourself on each chapter within a day or two of reading it, closed-book, then read every rationale, including the ones for questions you got right. Retrieval practice like this shows you what didn’t stick while there’s still time to fix it; our practice testing guide explains why.
- Read the large-print content and the Summary of Major Nursing Implications first.
- Write the prototype card from memory: mechanism, uses, adverse effects, nursing implications.
- Answer 15–25 chapter questions without notes.
- Log each miss by drug class and type: mechanism, adverse effect, nursing action or calculation.
- Every three or four chapters, do a mixed set across classes so you practice telling them apart.
Publishers write test banks mainly for instructors, and some nursing programs restrict students from using them. Read your honor code or student handbook, ask your instructor if you’re unsure, and if your program prohibits them, don’t use one. Our guide on how to use a nursing test bank covers using one for honest self-testing.
Chapter-matched questions with rationales, for the Lehne edition on your syllabus. These are self-assessment practice, not your course’s exam.
- Lehne’s Pharmacology 11th Edition Test Bank (Burchum) — the 2021 edition (978-0-323-82522-1) and its 112-chapter numbering.
- Lehne’s Pharmacology 10th Edition Test Bank — for courses still on the 2018 edition (978-0-323-51227-5).
- Lehne’s Pharmacology 9th Edition Test Bank (Burchum) — for the 9th edition (978-0-323-32190-7).
Each test bank is matched to one edition and ISBN-13. Check the number on your book before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the latest edition of Lehne’s Pharmacology for Nursing Care?
The 12th edition, by Jacqueline Rosenjack Burchum and Laura D. Rosenthal, is the latest. Elsevier lists it as published in January 2024 with a 2025 copyright, 113 chapters and print ISBN 978-0-443-10710-8. Some courses keep an earlier edition for a few years, so match the ISBN on your syllabus rather than assuming you need the newest one.
Is Lehne hard to read?
It’s long, about 1,500 pages in the 12th edition, but it explains why drugs behave as they do instead of listing facts. That makes it easier to reason with once you get going. Read the need-to-know content and each chapter’s nursing implications summary first, then return to the detail, and use the prototype drug in each chapter as your anchor.
Which pharmacology book is best for nursing students?
The one your course assigns, because exams follow its chapters and terms. Among common choices, Lehne suits BSN and higher-level ADN courses that want mechanisms, Clayton targets LPN/LVN and ADN programs, Lilley organizes each drug group by the nursing process, and Karch keeps chapters concise. For extra reading, choose the book that fills your specific gap.
Is there a Lehne study guide workbook?
Yes. Elsevier publishes a companion study guide that corresponds to the textbook’s chapters. The 12th-edition guide (ISBN 978-0-443-10619-4) includes NCLEX-style questions, dosage calculation questions in the clinical chapters, a Next-Generation NCLEX case study in each unit and an answer key. Buy the one that matches your textbook edition.
How should I study pharmacology from Lehne?
One drug class at a time. For each chapter, learn the prototype’s mechanism, uses, adverse effects and nursing implications, then note only how related drugs differ. Quiz yourself closed-book within a day or two, log your misses by class, and mix classes every few chapters. Start with the principles and peripheral nervous system chapters, since later units build on them.
Bottom line: start with your ISBN
Check the ISBN-13 on your Lehne copy today and note its edition and chapter count. Then build your first prototype card from chapter 47 using the lisinopril example above, and quiz yourself on that chapter before you open the next one. Browse our nursing test banks only for the edition you actually use.
Sources & further reading
- Elsevier — Lehne’s Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 12th Edition
- Elsevier Health (US) — 12th-edition product details and what’s new
- Elsevier — 11th-edition product page and contents
- Elsevier — Study Guide for Lehne’s Pharmacology for Nursing Care, 12th Edition
- DailyMed (NLM) — Zestril (lisinopril) prescribing information
- MedlinePlus — Lisinopril
- NCSBN — 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan (PDF)
