BSN 215 HESI Dosage Calculation Exam: Multiple-Choice
Questions With Explanations - Nightingale College - 139
Questions and Answers Already Graded A+ Premium Exam
Tested And Verified
Subject Area Nursing Dosage Calculation
Description This exam assesses advanced competency in dosage calculation, medication
administration safety, and clinical reasoning for complex patient scenarios. It
covers intravenous infusion rates, weight-based dosing, reconstitution, pediatric
calculations, and critical care titrations, aligning with Nightingale College's BSN
215 curriculum.
Expected Grade A+
Total Questions 139
Duration 3 hours
Learning Outcomes 1. Calculate safe dosage ranges for high-alert medications
2. Determine IV infusion rates using complex dimensional analysis
3. Interpret medication orders with administration rate adjustments
4. Apply pharmacokinetic principles to dosage adjustments
5. Evaluate medication safety in polypharmacy contexts
Accreditation This exam meets the standards of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education (CCNE) and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing
(NCSBN) for prelicensure nursing programs.
Page 1
,1. A patient is prescribed a continuous IV infusion of heparin at 1200 units/hour. The
pharmacy supplies a bag containing 25,000 units of heparin in 500 mL of D5W.
Using an IV pump that delivers in mL/hour, what rate (mL/hour) should the nurse
set?
A. 12 mL/hour
B. 24 mL/hour
C. 48 mL/hour
D. 60 mL/hour
Answer: B. 24 mL/hour
Correct: 24 mL/hour. Calculation: (1200 units/hr) / (25,000 units/500 mL) = 1200/50 =
24 mL/hr. Option A (12 mL/hr) results from incorrectly halving the concentration.
Option C (48 mL/hr) doubles the rate. Option D (60 mL/hr) miscalculates the ratio.
2. A patient with a history of atrial fibrillation is prescribed digoxin 0.125 mg PO
daily. The pharmacy supplies digoxin 0.0625 mg tablets. How many tablets should
the nurse administer?
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 1 tablet
C. 2 tablets
D. 3 tablets
Answer: C. 2 tablets
Correct: 2 tablets. Calculation: 0.125 mg / 0.0625 mg per tablet = 2 tablets. Option A
(0.5 tablet) would yield 0.03125 mg. Option B (1 tablet) yields 0.0625 mg. Option D (3
tablets) yields 0.1875 mg, exceeding the prescribed dose.
Page 2
,3. A patient weighing 70 kg is prescribed dopamine at 5 mcg/kg/min. The available
solution is dopamine 400 mg in 250 mL of D5W. What rate (mL/hour) should the
nurse set on the IV pump?
A. 13.1 mL/hour
B. 26.3 mL/hour
C. 52.5 mL/hour
D. 105 mL/hour
Answer: A. 13.1 mL/hour
Correct: 13.1 mL/hour. Calculation: dose = 5 mcg/kg/min × 70 kg = 350 mcg/min = 21
mg/hour. Concentration: 400 mg/250 mL = 1.6 mg/mL. Rate = 21 mg/hr / 1.6 mg/mL =
13.125 mL/hr. Option B (26.3) doubles the rate; option C (52.5) quadruples; option D
(105) uses 400 mg/250 mL incorrectly as 0.4 mg/mL.
4. A patient is to receive 1000 mL of normal saline over 8 hours. The IV tubing has a
drop factor of 15 gtt/mL. What is the flow rate in drops per minute?
A. 21 gtt/min
B. 31 gtt/min
C. 42 gtt/min
D. 52 gtt/min
Answer: B. 31 gtt/min
Correct: 31 gtt/min. Calculation: total volume = 1000 mL, time = 8 hours = 480
minutes. mL/min = 1000/480 2.0833 mL/min. gtt/min = 2.0833 × 15 31.25, rounded to
31. Option A (21) uses 10 gtt/min incorrectly. Option C (42) uses 20 gtt/min. Option D
(52) uses 25 gtt/min.
Page 3
, 5. A patient is prescribed vancomycin 1.5 g IV every 12 hours. The recommended
dosing range is 30-60 mg/kg/day in divided doses. The patient weighs 85 kg. Which
of the following best describes the prescribed dose?
A. Below the recommended range
B. Within the recommended range
C. Above the recommended range
D. Insufficient information to determine
Answer: B. Within the recommended range
Correct: Within the recommended range. Calculation: daily dose = 1.5 g × 2 = 3 g =
3000 mg. Weight-based dose = 3000 mg / 85 kg 35.3 mg/kg/day, which falls within
30-60 mg/kg/day. Option A (below) would be <30 mg/kg/day. Option C (above) would
be >60 mg/kg/day. Option D is incorrect because the weight and dosing range are
provided.
6. A patient is receiving an IV infusion of 0.9% sodium chloride at 150 mL/hour. The
nurse notes that the patient's urine output over the past 4 hours is 200 mL. What is
the net fluid balance for this 4-hour period, assuming no other fluid losses or gains?
A. +400 mL
B. +600 mL
C. 200 mL
D. 400 mL
Answer: A. +400 mL
Correct: +400 mL. Calculation: total input = 150 mL/hr × 4 hr = 600 mL. Output = 200
mL. Net = input output = 600 200 = +400 mL. Option B (+600) ignores output. Option
C (200) reverses input and output. Option D (400) miscalculates both.
Page 4
Questions With Explanations - Nightingale College - 139
Questions and Answers Already Graded A+ Premium Exam
Tested And Verified
Subject Area Nursing Dosage Calculation
Description This exam assesses advanced competency in dosage calculation, medication
administration safety, and clinical reasoning for complex patient scenarios. It
covers intravenous infusion rates, weight-based dosing, reconstitution, pediatric
calculations, and critical care titrations, aligning with Nightingale College's BSN
215 curriculum.
Expected Grade A+
Total Questions 139
Duration 3 hours
Learning Outcomes 1. Calculate safe dosage ranges for high-alert medications
2. Determine IV infusion rates using complex dimensional analysis
3. Interpret medication orders with administration rate adjustments
4. Apply pharmacokinetic principles to dosage adjustments
5. Evaluate medication safety in polypharmacy contexts
Accreditation This exam meets the standards of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education (CCNE) and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing
(NCSBN) for prelicensure nursing programs.
Page 1
,1. A patient is prescribed a continuous IV infusion of heparin at 1200 units/hour. The
pharmacy supplies a bag containing 25,000 units of heparin in 500 mL of D5W.
Using an IV pump that delivers in mL/hour, what rate (mL/hour) should the nurse
set?
A. 12 mL/hour
B. 24 mL/hour
C. 48 mL/hour
D. 60 mL/hour
Answer: B. 24 mL/hour
Correct: 24 mL/hour. Calculation: (1200 units/hr) / (25,000 units/500 mL) = 1200/50 =
24 mL/hr. Option A (12 mL/hr) results from incorrectly halving the concentration.
Option C (48 mL/hr) doubles the rate. Option D (60 mL/hr) miscalculates the ratio.
2. A patient with a history of atrial fibrillation is prescribed digoxin 0.125 mg PO
daily. The pharmacy supplies digoxin 0.0625 mg tablets. How many tablets should
the nurse administer?
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 1 tablet
C. 2 tablets
D. 3 tablets
Answer: C. 2 tablets
Correct: 2 tablets. Calculation: 0.125 mg / 0.0625 mg per tablet = 2 tablets. Option A
(0.5 tablet) would yield 0.03125 mg. Option B (1 tablet) yields 0.0625 mg. Option D (3
tablets) yields 0.1875 mg, exceeding the prescribed dose.
Page 2
,3. A patient weighing 70 kg is prescribed dopamine at 5 mcg/kg/min. The available
solution is dopamine 400 mg in 250 mL of D5W. What rate (mL/hour) should the
nurse set on the IV pump?
A. 13.1 mL/hour
B. 26.3 mL/hour
C. 52.5 mL/hour
D. 105 mL/hour
Answer: A. 13.1 mL/hour
Correct: 13.1 mL/hour. Calculation: dose = 5 mcg/kg/min × 70 kg = 350 mcg/min = 21
mg/hour. Concentration: 400 mg/250 mL = 1.6 mg/mL. Rate = 21 mg/hr / 1.6 mg/mL =
13.125 mL/hr. Option B (26.3) doubles the rate; option C (52.5) quadruples; option D
(105) uses 400 mg/250 mL incorrectly as 0.4 mg/mL.
4. A patient is to receive 1000 mL of normal saline over 8 hours. The IV tubing has a
drop factor of 15 gtt/mL. What is the flow rate in drops per minute?
A. 21 gtt/min
B. 31 gtt/min
C. 42 gtt/min
D. 52 gtt/min
Answer: B. 31 gtt/min
Correct: 31 gtt/min. Calculation: total volume = 1000 mL, time = 8 hours = 480
minutes. mL/min = 1000/480 2.0833 mL/min. gtt/min = 2.0833 × 15 31.25, rounded to
31. Option A (21) uses 10 gtt/min incorrectly. Option C (42) uses 20 gtt/min. Option D
(52) uses 25 gtt/min.
Page 3
, 5. A patient is prescribed vancomycin 1.5 g IV every 12 hours. The recommended
dosing range is 30-60 mg/kg/day in divided doses. The patient weighs 85 kg. Which
of the following best describes the prescribed dose?
A. Below the recommended range
B. Within the recommended range
C. Above the recommended range
D. Insufficient information to determine
Answer: B. Within the recommended range
Correct: Within the recommended range. Calculation: daily dose = 1.5 g × 2 = 3 g =
3000 mg. Weight-based dose = 3000 mg / 85 kg 35.3 mg/kg/day, which falls within
30-60 mg/kg/day. Option A (below) would be <30 mg/kg/day. Option C (above) would
be >60 mg/kg/day. Option D is incorrect because the weight and dosing range are
provided.
6. A patient is receiving an IV infusion of 0.9% sodium chloride at 150 mL/hour. The
nurse notes that the patient's urine output over the past 4 hours is 200 mL. What is
the net fluid balance for this 4-hour period, assuming no other fluid losses or gains?
A. +400 mL
B. +600 mL
C. 200 mL
D. 400 mL
Answer: A. +400 mL
Correct: +400 mL. Calculation: total input = 150 mL/hr × 4 hr = 600 mL. Output = 200
mL. Net = input output = 600 200 = +400 mL. Option B (+600) ignores output. Option
C (200) reverses input and output. Option D (400) miscalculates both.
Page 4
