Notice the particular units that should cancel out.
A nurse caring for a person experiencing vomiting receives an order for 500mL D5W to be infused over
12 hours. The drop factor of the available tubing is 20 gtt/mL. Calculate the rate (in gtt/min) at which the
nurse should regulate the infusion. (If needed, round to the nearest whole number).
? gtt/min =
500 ml x 20 gtt x 1 hr
= 1000 gtt = 13.89 gtt/min = 14 gtt/min
12 hr 1ml
60 min
720 min
The nurse practitioner orders an IV of 1000 mL NS to run over 24 hours. At what rate (in ml/hour)
should the nurse set the pump? (If needed, round to the nearest whole number).
? ml/hr =
1000 ml = 41.67 ml/hr = 42 ml/hour
24 hr
A physician ordered furosemide 20mg IV once. The vial is labeled 40mg/ml. How many ml should the
nurse administer?
? ml =
20 mg x 1 ml = 0.5 ml
1 40 mg
Amoxicillin 500mg orally three times a day is ordered. The pharmacy has Amoxicillin 250mg tablets on
hand. How many tablets should the nurse administer for each dose?
? tablets = 500 mg x 1 tablet = 2 tablets
1
250 mg
The nurse practitioner has ordered levothyroxine, 100 mcg orally daily. The medication label reads
levothyroxine, 0.1 mg/tablet. The nurse administers how many tablets to the client?
? tablets = 100 mcg x 1 mg
x 1 tablet = 100 tablet = 1 tablet
1
1000 mcg
0.1 mg
100
A loading dose of Magnesium Sulfate 2 grams intravenous piggyback (IVPB) is to be given over 30
minutes. The pharmacy has sent Magnesium Sulfate 40 Grams in 1000 ml of Lactated Ringers solution.
How many ml/hr will you set the pump at?
? ml/ hr=
2 grams x 1000 ml x 60 min
30 min 40 grams 1 hr
= 120,000 ml = 100 ml/hr
1200 hr
The provider orders Oxytocin to be started at 3 mU/min. There is 20 units of Oxytocin in 1000ml of LR.
How many ml/hr will you start the oxytocin?
? ml/hr =
3 mU x 1 unit
min
1000 mU
x 1000 ml x 60 min = 180,000 ml = 9 ml/hr
20 units
1 hr
20,000 hr
A person is receiving dopamine at 2 mcg/kg/min. The person weighs 200 lbs. How many mcg per min is
the person receiving? Round to the nearest tenth.
?kg = 200lb x 1kg = 90.9 kg
1
2.2lb
? dose = 2mcg x 90.0 kg per min = 180 mcg per min
Pediatric Question
The nurse is caring for an infant with fever who weighs 21 pounds. The physician order reads:
Ibuprofen 75 mg orally every 6 hours as needed for fever.
The safe dosage range is 5-10 mg/kg/dose every 6 to 8 hours.
Ibuprofen is available as 100 mg/5mL.
a. What is the child's weight in kilograms? Round to the 10th place.
b. Is this a safe dose?
c. If the ordered dose is safe, how many milliliters with the nurse administer? Round to the
10th place.
Answers:
a. 21lbs
1
x
1 kg = 9.5 kg
2.2 lb
b. Yes
5 mg x 9.5 kg = 47.5 mg and 10 mg x 9.5 kg = 95 mg
The safe range per dose is between 47.5 and 95 mg
c. ? ml=
75 mg x 5ml
1
100 mg
= 375 ml = 3.75ml = 3.8 ml
100