Medical Dosage Calculation Practice

MEMORIZE these conversions: 1 oz= 30ml 1 tsp= 5ml 1 tbsp= 15ml 1 Cup=8 oz 2.2 lb = 1 kg Metric conversions: 1gm=1000mg, mcg to gm, etc. After fundamentals course- will need to know how to calculate IV drip rates

Basic Directions Read each question carefully Often there is more than one step to figure out the answer Questions may have more info than you need to get the answer Show your work Determine what your goal is, especially to what unit the answer is supposed to be in- i.e. -is it asking for the per dose amount or daily amount, for number of mg or number tablets, etc. in the answer? Look at the answer and see if it makes sense-i.e.-rarely will you be giving someone 80 pills.

Resources Read Potter & Perry, Fundamentals of Nursing, 8th edition, pages 574 to 577. Purchase a dosage calculation book or program for nurses. Go on line, search “medication dosage calculations” for resources on line. Use basic algebra solving equations

Practice Questions Answers at end… Good luck!

#1 A client has an order for 125mcg of digoxin PO daily. How many milligrams will you administer to the client?

#2 A patient’s order for heparin is 50units/kg and the patient weighs 198 pounds. How many units of Heparin will the patient receive?

#3 The doctor has just order IV fluids of 1,000ml D5W with 20mEq Potassium to be infused over an 8 hour period. At what rate would you set the IV pump?

#4 The order reads Isoniazid 300mg daily. The pharmacy supplies Isoniazid syrup 50mg/5ml. The nurse should administer _______ml per dose.

#5 The patient is to receive Celestone 900 micrograms. You have a bottle of Celestone labeled 0.6mg/tablet. The patient will receive how many tablet(s) per dose?

#6 How many milliliters of cough syrup should a child receive if the dose is 3 ounces and the child’s weight is 27kg?

#7 Your patient’s order reads 7,500units of Heparin subcutaneously. Heparin comes in a 2ml vial of 5,000units/ml. How many milliliters of Heparin do you give the patient?

#8 Order: Ancef 1g/50ml IVPB Q4H, infuse over 30 minutes. IV tubing is labeled 20 drops/ml. Calculate the flow rate in drops per minute for this antibiotic.

#9 The MD orders Haldol 2mg by IM injection. You have a vial of Haldol labeled 5mg per 1ml. How many ml(s) would you administer?

#10 The patient is to receive Gantrisin 50mg/kg daily in 4 divided doses. The patient weighs 44 pounds. How many mg(s) would the patient receive for a single dose?

Answers 0.125mg 4,500 units 125ml/hr 30ml per dose. 1.5 tablets 90mls 33.3 gtt/min. 0.4ml 250mg/dose.