Saunders Medication/IV Calculations

prescription to receive an intravenous (IV) infusion of 1000 mL normal saline solution over a period of 10 hours. The drop (gtt) factor for the IV infusion set is 15 gtts/mL. The nurse sets the flow rate at how many drops per minute? Fill in the blank.

Total volume × gtt factor ------------------------- = gtt/min Time in minutes 1000 mL × 15 gtt ---------------- = 25 gtt/min 600 minutes

acetaminophen (Tylenol), 650 mg orally for a temperature of more than 38° C. The medication bottle states Tylenol (acetaminophen), 325 mg tablets. The nurse takes the client's temperature and notes that it is 101° F. The nurse plans to take which action?

Convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, and then calculate the dose to be administered. Step 1: Conversion of Fahrenheit to Celsius Formula: To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, subtract 32, and divide the result by 1.8: C = (101 - 32) = 69, divided by 1.8 = 38.3°. Step 2: Dosage calculation Formula: Desired × tablet(s) ------------------- = tablet(s) per dose Available 650 mg × 1 tablet ------------------ = 2 tablets 325 mg

"Ampicillin, 125 mg intramuscular every 6 hours." The medication label reads, "1 gram when reconstituted with 7.4 mL of bacteriostatic water." How many milliliters should the nurse draw up for one dose?

Convert grams to milligrams. With the metric system, to convert larger to smaller, multiply by 1000 or move the decimal three places to the right. Then, use the medication calculation formula: 1 g = 1000 mg Formula: Desired --------- × Volume Available 125 mg ------- × 7.4 mL = 0.925 mL/dose 1000 mg

3000 mL of 5% dextrose (D5W) to run over a 24-hour period. The drop factor is 10 gtts/1 mL. The nurse plans to adjust the flow rate to how many gtts/minute?

Total volume × drop factor -------------------------- = drops per minute Time in minutes 3000 mL × 10 gtt 30,000 ---------------- = ------ = 20.8 1440 minutes 1440 or 21 drops per minute

1 gm

1000 mg

convert Fahrenheit to celsius

Celsius = (F-32) / 1.8

the health care provider prescribes 1000 mL of 5% dextrose in water (D5W) to run at 125 mL/hr. The nurse calculates the infusion rate, knowing that it will take how many hours for 1 liter (L) to infuse?

To determine how many hours it will take for 1 L to infuse, first recall that 1 L is equal to 1000 mL. Next, divide the 1000 mL by the amount being delivered in 1 hour. Formula: Total volume in mL ------------------ = infusion time in hours mL/hour 1000 mL ------- = 8 hours 125 mL

intravenous flow rate formula.

Total volume × drop factor -------------------------- = drops per minute Time in minutes

phenytoin (Dilantin), 0.2 g orally, twice daily. The medication label states 100-mg capsules. The nurse prepares how many capsule(s)

You must convert 0.2 g to milligrams. In the metric system, to convert larger to smaller, multiply by 1000 or move the decimal three places to the right. Therefore, 0.2 g equals 200 mg. After conversion from grams to milligrams, use the formula to calculate the correct dose.

1 Liter is

equal to 1000 mL

Saquinavir

is an antiviral medication. It is administered within 2 hours after a full meal. If the medication is taken without food in the stomach, it may result in no antiviral activity. Invirase Protease inhibitor with high fat food

stoma pouch

should be emptied when 1/3 to ½ full to prevent the weight of contents from loosening the seal. The stoma should be moist and pink to red in color. Keeping the skin barrier to within 1/16 to 1/8 inch of the base of the stoma prevents effluent from irritating the skin. With an adequate seal, changing the appliance every 3 days is adequate and may be done as infrequently as 2 weeks.

levodopa 1 g orally, daily. The medication label states levodopa, 500-mg tablets. The nurse prepares to administer how many tablets at the evening dose?

Desired × tablet(s) ------------------- = tablet(s) per dose Available 1000 mg × 1 tablet ------------------ = 2 tablets 500 mg

Carbamazepine

Tegretol is contraindicated in liver disease, and liver function tests are routinely prescribed for baseline purposes and are monitored during therapy. It is also contraindicated if the client has a history of blood dyscrasias. Class: Anti-Seizure CNS Depressan Anticonvulsant (Tegretol, Equetro will interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives

The health care provider's prescription reads "phenytoin (Dilantin) 0.2 g orally, twice daily." The medication label states 100-mg capsules. How many capsule(s) should the nurse plan to administer over a 24 hour period?

Desired × capsule(s) ------------------- = capsule(s) per dose Available 200 mg × 1 capsule ------------------ = 2 capsules per dose 100 mg The question asks for the number of capsule(s) for a 24 hour period. Since the medication is administered twice daily then the total daily number of capsule(s) is 4.

A pediatric client with a ventricular septal defect repair is placed on a maintenance dose of digoxin (Lanoxin). The safe dose is 0.03 mg/kg/day, and the client's weight is 7.2 kg. The health care provider (HCP) prescribes the digoxin to be given twice daily. How much digoxin should the nurse administer to the client at each dose?

Calculate the dosage by weight first; therefore, 0.03 mg/day × 7.2 kg = 0.21 mg/day. Next, note that the HCP prescribes digoxin to be given twice daily; therefore, 2 doses in 24 hours will be administered, and 0.21 mg/day divided by 2 doses = 0.1 mg for each dose.

zidovudine (Retrovir), 0.2 g orally, three times daily. The medication label states zidovudine, 100-mg tablets. The nurse prepares to administer how many tablets for one dose?

Convert 0.2 g to mg. In the metric system, to convert larger to smaller, multiply by 1000, or move the decimal three places to the right; therefore, 0.2 g = 200 mg. Formula: Desired × tablet(s) ------------------- = tablet(s) per dose Available 200 mg × 1 tablet ------------------ = 2 tablets 100 mg

The health care provider's prescription reads "levothyroxine (Synthroid), 150 mcg orally daily." The medication label reads "levothyroxine, 0.1 mg/tablet." The nurse prepares to administer how many tablet(s) to the client? Fill in the blank. Record your answer using one decimal place.

Convert 150 mcg to milligrams. In the metric system, to convert smaller to larger, divide by 1000, or move the decimal three places to the left. Therefore, 150 mcg = 0.15 mg. Formula: Desired × tablet(s) ------------------- = tablet(s) per dose Available 0.15 mg × 1 tablet ------------------ = 1.5 tablets 0.1 mg

1000 mL of 0.9% NaCl (normal saline) to run over 12 hours. The drop factor is 15 gtts/1 mL. The nurse plans to adjust the flow rate to how many gtts/minute

Formula: Total volume × drop factor -------------------------- = drops per minute Time in minutes 1000 mL × 15 gtt 15,000 ---------------- = ------ = 20.8 720 minutes 720 or 21 drops per minute

Morphine sulfate, 2.5 mg, is prescribed for a child. The safe pediatric dose is 0.05 to 0.1 mg/kg/dose. The child weighs 50 kg. Which statement describes the prescribed dosage for this child?

Use the formula for calculating a safe dosage range. Dosage parameters: 0.05 mg/kg/dose × 50 kg = 2.5 mg/dose 0.1 mg/kg/dose × 50 kg = 5 mg/dose The dose is within the safe dosage range.

Diphenhydramine hydrochloride (Benadryl), 25 mg orally every 6 hours, is prescribed for a child with an allergic reaction. The child weighs 25 kg. The safe pediatric dosage is 5 mg/kg/day. Which conclusion should the nurse infer?

Use the formula for calculating a safe dosage range.Safe dose parameter:5 mg/kg/day × 25 kg = 125 mg/dayDosage frequency:25 mg × 4 doses (every 6 hours) = 100 mg/dayThe dose is within the safe dosage range.