Practice Dosage Calculation Exam
NOTE:
The test will include 25 problems and you have a one-hour time limit to complete all
problems. Passing score is 90% (3 problems missed). Use everything you have learned in
this class and if necessary feel free to explain “why” you rounded any answers (i.e.
“answered rounded to hundredths because I will be using a 3 ml syringe” or “answer rounded
to tenths because it is less than 1 ml” or “if scored” on tablets). It is better to get into some of
these habits early because you will need this type of critical thinking in the program and may
have to explain why you chose to round an answer. It may not be enough to just give the
answer, because as we all know the biggest part of being a Nurse is the ability to think
critically.
The questions for the Practice are based on questions from the Antelope Valley
College: ADN Survival Guide. The order and supply and all other pertinent information is the
same as the guide, but names have been changed to protect the innocent…ha, ha.
I wish everyone Good Luck, it has been a pleasure to tutor you and I can’t wait to see
you all in the RN program. Strong and confident that you CAN do this and you’re DARN good
at it. I believe in all of you.
-Kendra
1.
15kg =
g
2.
8 Tbsp=
ml
3.
180mg=
gr.
4.
3.5mg=
mcg
5.
45mg=
g
6.
Dr. E. Ville’s order reads: Drug X 250 mg PO four times a day. Drug X is available in
capsules of 125 mg per capsule. How many capsules will you give per dose?
7.
Nurse Ratchett has left a note on your patients chart indicating a new course of
therapy. The order reads Drug X gr. ½ PO. You have available tablets labeled Drug X
gr. ¼. How many tablets will you give?
8.
Dr. M. U. Cus has called over an order for one of his patients, it reads: Give Drug X
3.75 mg PO. You have on-hand 2.5 mg tablets. How many tablets will you give?
9.
A new patient is on your ward and Dr. G. House has left his medication order, it reads:
Give patient C. Payne Drug X 0.6 g per kg per day to be divided into four equal doses.
You have in the supply cabinet 0.5g. Mr. Payne weighs 145 pounds. How many
tablets will you give in one dose?
10.
Nurse Worth has handed you the Doctors orders for your patient, they read Drug X
oral suspension 0.2 g PO. The bottle on-hand is labeled 400 mg per 5 ml. How many
ml will you give?
11.
Dr. P. Cox has handed you the order for his patient Mr. Mann, they read: Give Drug X
10 mg PO t.i.d. You have Drug X elixir 20 mg per 5 ml. How many ml will you give for
one dose?
12.
Your patient Mrs. W. Waite’s chart reads: Give Drug X 300,000 U IM every 4 hours.
You have a vial labeled 3,000,000 U Drug X in powder form. The directions are to add
4.5 ml diluents to yield 5 ml reconstituted solution. How many ml will you give per
day?
13.
Dr. I. Cureux has given you an order that reads: Give Drug X 12 mg IV every four
hours prn. You have ampules labeled Drug X gr. ¼ per ml. How many ml will you
give?
14.
Dr. D. Septum has given you an order that reads: Drug X 20 mg IV every 3-4 hours
prn. You have a cartridge labeled Drug X 50 mg per ml. (Cartridges are prefilled
Tubex syringes) How many ml will you give and how many will you discard?
15.
Dr. Goiter has left an order for his patient I. C. Ewe that reads: Give Drug X 1/6 IM.
You have a vial labeled Drug X gr. ¼ per ml. How many ml will you give?
16.
Your patient Stan Osis needs Drug X 0.25 mg IM. You have a 2 ml ampule labeled
Drug X 1:2000. How many ml will give?
17.
The charge nurse has told you that your patient Mrs. O.L. Ladye needs a 1500 ml IV to
infuse over 12 hours. The drop factor is 15. Calculate the infusion rate in gtts/min.
18.
Your patient T. Timm is infusing at 12 gtts/min. The drop factor is 10. How many ml of
IV solution will this patient receive in 24 hours?
19.
Dr. M. X. Upp has given you an order that reads: Drug X 1 g IVPB in 100 ml D5W q6h
to infuse over 30 minutes. The drop factor is 10 gtt/ml. What is the flow rate in ml per
hour? What is the flow rate in gtts/min?
20.
Nurse Poppins has given you the orders for your pediatric patient Peter Pann, it reads:
Give Drug X 100 mg/kg/day. Little Peter weighs 23 lbs. The medication is available in
standard strength of 125 mg/5 ml. The total amount is to be given in four equally
divided doses.
a.
How many mg will be in one dose?
b.
How many ml will you give for one dose?
21.
Dr. C. Blu has ordered an IV for his patient John Dusse, the order reads: Drug X is to
be started at 8 mcg/kg/minute IV. Mr. Dusse weighs 158 lbs. The drop factor is 15
drops per ml. The drug concentration is 400 mg per 500 ml of 5% D/W. What is the
infusion rate in ml per hour?
22.
Nurse Jackie has noted the chart of your patient Mr.Cy Anosis and it reads: Give 5
micrograms per minutes by continuous IV infusion. Drug concentration is 1 mg in 500
ml 5% D/W. Drop factor is 60. What is the drip rate in gtts/min?
23.
Dr. Nic Yu has left an order for his patient Little Bobby, it reads: Little Bobby is to
receive Drug X 100 mg/k for the first dose, then 50 mg/kg/day in three equally divided
doses. The patient weighs 52 lbs. Drug X on-hand is 250 mg/5 ml.
How many ml for the first dose?
How many ml for each following dose?
How many mg per day after first dose?
24.
Nurse Hawthorne has given you Dr. H. Ache’s order, it reads: Give gr. 1/250 of Drug
X. You found that you only have 0.4 mg per 5 ml ampoules. How many ml will you
give?
25.
Dr. M Caproiu has given you the last order of your shift and it reads: Give my patient
Gary (Yes, cause you were her favorite for the day…ha, ha) an infusion of Drug X,
starting with a bolus of 4 g over 30 minutes then a maintenance rate of 2 g/hr. (Drug X
comes in a 50% solution in 20 ml vials and the standard mixture is 40 g in 1000 ml of
D5RL.) (Don’t let the problem scare you, it’s easier than it may sound…Good Luck!)
Clue: Look for ml/hr.
What is the rate of infusion for the bolus dose?
What will the maintenance rate be set at on the IV pump?
ANSWER KEY
1.
0.0015 g
15 kg/1000 = 0.015 g
2.
240 ml
8 Tbsp X 15 ml = 120 ml
3.
gr. III (3)
180 mg / 60 mg = 3
4.
3500 mcg
3.5 mg X 1000 mcg = 3500mcg
5.
0.045 g
45 mg / 1000 mg = 0.045 g
6.
250 mg
Dose
•
Caps
=
125 mg
250
=
2 Capsules
7.
1/2 gr.
Dose
•
Tablets =
¼ gr.
½
1/4
=
2 Tablets
8.
3.75 mg •
Dose
Tablets =
2.5 mg
3.75
=
1.5 Tables (If scored)
9.
0.6 g
Kg
•
Tablet
0.5 g
145 lb
Patient
10.
0.2 g
Dose
•
5 ml
•
400 mg
1000 mg =
1g
11.
10 mg
Dose
•
5 ml
20 mg
50
20
12.
300,000U • 5 ml
=
Dose
3,000,000 U
1,500,000
3,000,000
13.
12 mg
Dose
•
1 ml
¼ gr.
•
1 gr. = 12 =
60 mg
15
14.
20 mg
Dose
•
1 ml
50 mg
=
20
50
•
=
•
1kg
•
2.2 lb
1 Day
=
4 doses
1000
400
2.5 ml/dose
=
= 2.5 ml/dose
=
0.5 ml/dose
0.8 ml/dose (prn)
= 0.4 ml given
1 ml (Syringe) – 0.4 ml (given) = 0.6 ml discarded
15.
1/6 gr.
Dose
•
16.
0.25 mg •
Dose
ml
¼ gr.
=
1/6
¼
= 0.67 ml/dose
2000 ml •
1g
= 500
1g
1000 mg 1000
=
0.5 ml/dose
1.97 Tablets
(2 tablets)
17.
1500 ml •
12 hours
15 gtt
ml
•
1 hour = 22,500 =
60 min
720
18.
12 gtt
Min
•
1 ml
10 gtt
•
60 min
1hour
19.
100 ml
30 min
•
60 min
1 hour
=
6000
30
200 ml
1 hour
•
1 hour
60 min
•
10 gtt = 2000
ml
100 mg
kg/Day
•
23 lb
Child
•
1 kg • Day
=
2.2 lb
4 doses
2300
8.8
100 mg
kg/day
•
23 lb
Child
•
1 kg • 5 ml
•
2.2 lb
125 mg
Day
=
4 Doses
•
500 ml • 1 kg •
1 mg
•
400 mg 2.2 lb 1000 mcg
20.
a.
b.
=
21.
24 hours
Day
= 17,280
10
= 1728 ml/day
= 200 ml/hour
=
33 gtt/min
=
261.36 mg/dose
11500
1100
10.5 ml/dose
8 mcg
Kg/min
=
•
31 gtt/min
•
158 lb
Patient
60 min = 37920000
1 hour
880000
43.1 ml/hour
22.
5 mcg
Min
•
500 ml
1 mg
•
1 ml • 60 gtt
1000 mcg
ml
=
150000
1000
23.
100 mg
Kg
•
52 lb
Pat.
•
1 kg • 5 ml =
2.2 lb
250 mg
26000 = 47.3 ml
550
50 mg
Kg/day
•
52 lb
Pat.
•
1 kg • 5 ml •
2.2 lb
250 mg
1 day = 13000
3 Doses
1650
50 mg
Kg/day
•
52 lb
Pat.
•
1 kg = 2600 =
2.2 lb
2.2
1181.82 mg
24.
1/250 gr. •
Dose
5 ml
0.4 mg
•
60 mg = 0.12 =
1 gr
0.4
3 ml/dose
25.
4g
30 min
•
1000 ml •
40 g
60 min = 240000
1 hour
1200
=
2g
Hour
•
1000 ml =
40 g
2000
40
= 50 ml/hour
=
200 ml/hour
150 gtt/min
= 7.9 ml