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NURSING DOSAGE CALCULATIONS
3
Practice Test
show your work.............
remember units.................. NO CALCULATOR
1. The physician prescribes: Ampicillin 0.5 g po. qid. Available is 250 mg tablets of Ampicillin. How
many tablets should the nurse give the patient per day?
2. The order reads: Procaine penicillin G 400,000 U IM tid. Supplied is Sterile Penicillin G Procaine
Suspension, 300,000 U per mL. What volume of medication will you administer for each dose?
3. The drug supply includes Elixophyllin liquid with a concentration of 80 mg/7.5 mL. The doctor has
ordered Elixophyllin liquid 0.24 g po. stat. What volume will you administer for this dose?
4. The drug Trandate is available in 300 mg tablets. Ordered is Trandate 150 mg po. bid. How many
milligrams does the patient receive each day?
5. The physician’s order reads: Atropine sulfate 0.15 mg SC stat. Supplied is Atropine sulfate 0.2 mg
per mL. What volume of medication will you administer to the patient?
6. Convert the following units:
a. 15 mg
= _______________ g
b.
230 mcg
c. 0.63 L
= _______________ mg
= ______________ mL
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NURSING DOSAGE CALCULATIONS
7.
Rewrite the following doctor’s orders in plain English:
Example: Procan SR 500 mg po. q 6h Reads: Give 500 milligrams of Procan SR orally every 6
hours.
a. Dilatin 100 mg po tid.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
b. Demerol 75 mg IM q4h prn, pain.
______________________________________________________________________
8. Answer the following questions for the label below:
a. Trade name ____________________________
b. Dose per unit ___________________________
c. The doctor’s order reads: Cefaclor (Cyclinor),
250 mg, q8h.
Which Cyclinor bottle would you select? Why?
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
d. How many millilitres per dose should the patient receive?
9. The doctor’s order reads: Halafran 250 mcg po bedtime. Supplied: See the label. What volume of
medication will you administer for one dose?
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NURSING DOSAGE CALCULATIONS
10. The doctor’s order reads: Compazine 7.5 mg IM q3h prn. nausea and vomiting. Supplied is a 10
mL vial of Compazine containing 5 mg per mL. What many milligrams should the patient receive in
one day?
11. The drug supply cabinet contains Synthroid 150 mcg tablets. The physician has ordered Synthroid
0.075 mg po. daily. How many tablets will the patient receive in one dose?
12. The order reads: Potassium chloride (KCL) 20 mEq, bid. The drug available is liquid potassium
chloride with a concentration of 10 mEq per 5 mL. How many mEq does the client receive in a
day?
13. The order calls for methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) 75 mg, IM, daily. The 10 mL vial contains
125mg/2 mL of methylprednisolone. How many milliliters would you give for one day?
14. Thiamine HCL is available in 100 mg/mL and 200 mg/mL vials. The orders reads: Thiamine HCL
75 mg, IM, daily.
a. Which vial would you use? Why?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
b. Based on your answer above, how many milliliters would you give in one day?
15. A 10 mL vial of Vistaril is available with a drug concentration of 100 mg/2 mL. The doctor has
prescribed hydroxyzine (Vistaril) 25 mg, deep IM, STAT.
a. When would you administer the drug?________________________________
b. What volume of medication should you administer?
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NURSING DOSAGE CALCULATIONS
ANSWERS:
1. 8 tab/day
2. 1.3 mL/dose
3. 22.5 mL/dose
4. 300 mg
5. 0.75 mL
6. 0.015 g; 0.23 mg; 630 mL
7. a. Give 100 mg of Dilatin orally three times a day
b. Give 75 mg of Demeral by intramuscular injection every four hours as necessary, for pain.
8. a. Ceclor
b. 125 mg/5mL OR 375mg/5 mL
c. Either would work; however, if
you use 375 mg/5 mL, the patient will receive less volume (easier to consume).
mL
9. 2 tablets
10. 60 mg/day
11. ½ tab
12. 40 mEq/day
13. 1.2 mL/day
14. a. 200 mg/mL. ……because less volume will be administered intramuscularly.
b. 0.38 mL
15. a. immediately
b. 0.5 mL
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d. 3.3