1. Pharmacology Tips  This is an INTRODUCTORY course  It will NOT cover all you need to know, but help you know how to find information for safe medication administration  LISTEN to lecture & discussion  Learn major classifications of medications  Review “Patient Teaching Tips” and “Take Home Points”

2. Pharmacology Introduction Dosage Calculation

3. Units of Measure  Apothecary  Measures grains, drams, minims  Metric  Measures milliliters, centimeters, kilograms, liters  Household  Measures teaspoons, ounces, drops

4. Apothecary  Rarely used  Convert to metric ASAP - to prevent med errors  Use Equivalents Table or metric “clock” 60 mg gr 1 gr 1/415 mg gr 1/2 30 mg gr 3/4 45 mg 10 mg gr 1/6

5. Converting in the Metric System  Move decimal point left or right to change  1 G = 1000mg KingHenryDiedMondayDrinkingChocolateMilk KiloHectoDekaMeterDeciCentimilli Liter Gram

6. How to Convert  Dimensional Analysis  Sec. x min./sec. x hrs./min. = ______hr  Ratio-Proportion  Sec/min = Min/?  Desire over Have times Quantity  D/H x Q = amount needed

7. Be Consistent  Decide on a method of conversion that is comfortable to you  Consistently use the same method  Make it a habit to label you work  Write down all the steps – taking shortcuts often leads to mistakes

8. Equivalents  Certain ones should be committed to memory for quick calculation  Tables in drug handbooks and Taber’s  Basic equivalents within a system  1000 mg = 1 gm  1 cc = 1 mm  Standard equivalents between systems  1 tsp = 5 cc = 60 gtt  2.2 lb = 1 kg

9.  Approximate Equivalents  1 gr = 60 mg  15 gr = 1 g = 1000 mg  1000mcg = 1 mg  1 kg = 2.2 lb  1 ml = 15 minims  4 ml = 1 dr  5 ml = 1 tsp  30 ml = 1 oz = 2 Tbs = 6 tsp = 8 dr  500 ml = 1 pt = 16 oz  1000 ml = 1 L = 1 qt = 32 oz  Taken from: J. M. Daniels & L. M. Smith. 2005. Clinical Calculations, A Unified Approach, 5th ed. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar.

10. Abbreviations  Key  gr = graindr = dram  mg = milligramtsp = teaspoon  g = gramoz = ounce  kg = kilogramTbs = Tablespoon  lb = poundpt = pint  gtt = dropL = liter  ml = milliliterqt = quart