BSN 215 HESI Dosage Calculation Exam Prep |
Questions & Step-by-Step Rationales/HESI
Dosage Calculations Practice Question Bank |
BSN 215 Style with Math Explanations latest
update this year Download now and pass first
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Basic Conversions & Reconstitutions (Questions 1–15)
1. The healthcare provider prescribes levothyroxine 0.125 mg PO daily. The pharmacy
provides levothyroxine tablets labeled 50 mcg per tablet. How many tablets should
the nurse administer?
A. 1.5 tablets
B. 2.5 tablets
C. 2 tablets
D. 3 tablets
: First, convert milligrams to micrograms: 0.125 mg × 1,000 = 125 mcg. Next, apply the
Desired over Have formula (D / H): 125 mcg / 50 mcg = 2.5 tablets.
2. A patient is prescribed amoxicillin 0.5 g PO every 8 hours. The oral suspension is
labeled 250 mg/5 mL. How many mL should the nurse administer per dose?
A. 5 mL
B. 10 mL
C. 15 mL
D. 20 mL
,: Convert grams to milligrams: 0.5 g × 1,000 = 250 mg. Use D / H × V: (500 mg / 250 mg) ×
5 mL = 2 × 5 mL = 10 mL.
3. The provider orders potassium chloride 30 mEq PO daily. The liquid medication
available is potassium chloride 20 mEq/15 mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer?
A. 10 mL
B. 15 mL
C. 22.5 mL
D. 30 mL
: Using the formula D / H × V: (30 mEq / 20 mEq) × 15 mL = 1.5 × 15 mL = 22.5 mL.
4. A provider orders cefazolin 750 mg IM every 12 hours. The vial contains 1 g of
cefazolin in powder form. The instructions state to reconstitute with 2.5 mL of sterile
water to yield a final concentration of 330 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse
inject? (Round to the nearest tenth).
A. 2.1 mL
B. 2.3 mL
C. 2.5 mL
D. 3.0 mL
: Apply D / H: 750 mg / 330 mg/mL = 2.272 mL. Rounded to the nearest tenth, this is 2.3
mL. Note: The reconstitution volume (2.5 mL) is extra information and not used in the final
math step.
5. The nurse needs to administer 0.9 mg of a medication intravenously. The vial is
labeled 4 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse draw up? (Round to the nearest
hundredth).
A. 0.2 mL
B. 0.23 mL
,C. 0.25 mL
D. 0.3 mL
: Apply D / H: 0.9 mg / 4 mg/mL = 0.225 mL. Rounded to the nearest hundredth, the 5
rounds the 2 up to a 3, resulting in 0.23 mL.
6. A patient is prescribed 45 mg of a medication PO. The medication is available as an
oral solution with a concentration of 15 mg/tsp. How many mL should the nurse
administer?
A. 5 mL
B. 10 mL
C. 15 mL
D. 20 mL
: First, convert teaspoons to milliliters knowing that 1 tsp = 5 mL. Therefore, the
concentration is 15 mg / 5 mL. Apply D / H × V: (45 mg / 15 mg) × 5 mL = 3 × 5 mL = 15
mL.
7. An order reads: phenobarbital gr ss PO bedtime. The pharmacy supplies
phenobarbital tablets labeled 30 mg. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 1 tablet
C. 1.5 tablets
D. 2 tablets
: The abbreviation "gr ss" stands for grain one-half (0.5 grain). Knowing that 1 grain (gr 1) =
60 mg (or 65 mg depending on institutional policy, but 60 mg is standard for phenobarbital
conversion), gr ss = 30 mg. D / H: 30 mg / 30 mg = 1 tablet.
8. The provider orders heparin 7,500 units subcutaneously every 12 hours. The vial
on hand is labeled heparin 10,000 units/mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer?
, A. 0.5 mL
B. 0.75 mL
C. 0.8 mL
D. 1.25 mL
: Apply D / H: 7,500 units / 10,000 units/mL = 0.75 mL.
9. A healthcare provider prescribes digoxin 0.25 mg PO daily. Digoxin is available in
125 mcg tablets. How many tablets will the nurse administer?
A. 1 tablet
B. 2 tablets
C. 1.5 tablets
D. 2.5 tablets
: Convert milligrams to micrograms: 0.25 mg × 1,000 = 250 mcg. Apply D / H: 250 mcg / 125
mcg = 2 tablets.
10. The doctor orders haloperidol 3 mg IM stat for an agitated patient. The medication
vial reads haloperidol 5 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse draw into the
syringe?
A. 0.4 mL
B. 0.6 mL
C. 0.7 mL
D. 0.8 mL
: Apply D / H: 3 mg / 5 mg/mL = 0.6 mL.
11. A provider orders 60 mg of an injectable drug. The vial is labeled 80 mg/2 mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer?
A. 1.2 mL
B. 1.5 mL
C. 1.6 mL
Questions & Step-by-Step Rationales/HESI
Dosage Calculations Practice Question Bank |
BSN 215 Style with Math Explanations latest
update this year Download now and pass first
try!
Basic Conversions & Reconstitutions (Questions 1–15)
1. The healthcare provider prescribes levothyroxine 0.125 mg PO daily. The pharmacy
provides levothyroxine tablets labeled 50 mcg per tablet. How many tablets should
the nurse administer?
A. 1.5 tablets
B. 2.5 tablets
C. 2 tablets
D. 3 tablets
: First, convert milligrams to micrograms: 0.125 mg × 1,000 = 125 mcg. Next, apply the
Desired over Have formula (D / H): 125 mcg / 50 mcg = 2.5 tablets.
2. A patient is prescribed amoxicillin 0.5 g PO every 8 hours. The oral suspension is
labeled 250 mg/5 mL. How many mL should the nurse administer per dose?
A. 5 mL
B. 10 mL
C. 15 mL
D. 20 mL
,: Convert grams to milligrams: 0.5 g × 1,000 = 250 mg. Use D / H × V: (500 mg / 250 mg) ×
5 mL = 2 × 5 mL = 10 mL.
3. The provider orders potassium chloride 30 mEq PO daily. The liquid medication
available is potassium chloride 20 mEq/15 mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer?
A. 10 mL
B. 15 mL
C. 22.5 mL
D. 30 mL
: Using the formula D / H × V: (30 mEq / 20 mEq) × 15 mL = 1.5 × 15 mL = 22.5 mL.
4. A provider orders cefazolin 750 mg IM every 12 hours. The vial contains 1 g of
cefazolin in powder form. The instructions state to reconstitute with 2.5 mL of sterile
water to yield a final concentration of 330 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse
inject? (Round to the nearest tenth).
A. 2.1 mL
B. 2.3 mL
C. 2.5 mL
D. 3.0 mL
: Apply D / H: 750 mg / 330 mg/mL = 2.272 mL. Rounded to the nearest tenth, this is 2.3
mL. Note: The reconstitution volume (2.5 mL) is extra information and not used in the final
math step.
5. The nurse needs to administer 0.9 mg of a medication intravenously. The vial is
labeled 4 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse draw up? (Round to the nearest
hundredth).
A. 0.2 mL
B. 0.23 mL
,C. 0.25 mL
D. 0.3 mL
: Apply D / H: 0.9 mg / 4 mg/mL = 0.225 mL. Rounded to the nearest hundredth, the 5
rounds the 2 up to a 3, resulting in 0.23 mL.
6. A patient is prescribed 45 mg of a medication PO. The medication is available as an
oral solution with a concentration of 15 mg/tsp. How many mL should the nurse
administer?
A. 5 mL
B. 10 mL
C. 15 mL
D. 20 mL
: First, convert teaspoons to milliliters knowing that 1 tsp = 5 mL. Therefore, the
concentration is 15 mg / 5 mL. Apply D / H × V: (45 mg / 15 mg) × 5 mL = 3 × 5 mL = 15
mL.
7. An order reads: phenobarbital gr ss PO bedtime. The pharmacy supplies
phenobarbital tablets labeled 30 mg. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 1 tablet
C. 1.5 tablets
D. 2 tablets
: The abbreviation "gr ss" stands for grain one-half (0.5 grain). Knowing that 1 grain (gr 1) =
60 mg (or 65 mg depending on institutional policy, but 60 mg is standard for phenobarbital
conversion), gr ss = 30 mg. D / H: 30 mg / 30 mg = 1 tablet.
8. The provider orders heparin 7,500 units subcutaneously every 12 hours. The vial
on hand is labeled heparin 10,000 units/mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer?
, A. 0.5 mL
B. 0.75 mL
C. 0.8 mL
D. 1.25 mL
: Apply D / H: 7,500 units / 10,000 units/mL = 0.75 mL.
9. A healthcare provider prescribes digoxin 0.25 mg PO daily. Digoxin is available in
125 mcg tablets. How many tablets will the nurse administer?
A. 1 tablet
B. 2 tablets
C. 1.5 tablets
D. 2.5 tablets
: Convert milligrams to micrograms: 0.25 mg × 1,000 = 250 mcg. Apply D / H: 250 mcg / 125
mcg = 2 tablets.
10. The doctor orders haloperidol 3 mg IM stat for an agitated patient. The medication
vial reads haloperidol 5 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse draw into the
syringe?
A. 0.4 mL
B. 0.6 mL
C. 0.7 mL
D. 0.8 mL
: Apply D / H: 3 mg / 5 mg/mL = 0.6 mL.
11. A provider orders 60 mg of an injectable drug. The vial is labeled 80 mg/2 mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer?
A. 1.2 mL
B. 1.5 mL
C. 1.6 mL
