BSN 215 [BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING] HESI
DOSAGE CALCULATION EXAM V1 | COMPREHENSIVE
PRACTICE EXAM | 150+ ACTUAL STUDY GUIDE
QUESTIONS & 100% CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES | 2026/2027 LATEST UPDATE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
i. Medication-Calculation Foundations and Dimensional Analysis
ii. Oral, Sublingual, Buccal, and Liquid Medications
iii. Parenteral Medications and Syringe Calculations
iv. IV Flow Rates, Infusion Pumps, and Time Calculations
v. Weight-Based and Pediatric Dosage Calculations
vi. Safe Dose Ranges and Maximum-Dose Verification
vii. Insulin, Heparin, and High-Alert Medication Calculations
viii. Reconstitution and Powdered Medications
ix. Critical Care, Complex Infusions, and Advanced Calculations
x. Clinical Judgment, Medication Safety, Rounding, and Error Prevention
DESCRIPTION
This comprehensive BSN 215 HESI Dosage Calculation practice examination evaluates
advanced medication-calculation competency through 150 challenging questions
covering dimensional analysis, oral and parenteral medications, IV infusions, weight-
based dosing, pediatric calculations, insulin, heparin, reconstitution, safe-dose
verification, infusion rates, and clinical decision-making. It is designed for nursing
students preparing for HESI-style assessments and advanced dosage-calculation
examinations. Questions emphasize calculation accuracy, appropriate rounding,
interpretation of medication orders, safe-dose limits, and recognition of potentially
dangerous discrepancies. Students should expect progressively difficult scenarios
requiring mathematical reasoning and clinical judgment. It contains 100+ questions and
answers with a rationale. (purchase and instantly get a downloadable and editable pdf)
QUESTIONS 1–150
Question 1
A prescription reads: amoxicillin 750 mg PO. The available suspension is 250 mg/5 mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer?
,A. 10 mL
B. 12.5 mL
C. 15 mL
D. 17.5 mL
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 15 mL
🔵 Explanation: Set up the proportion 250 mg/5 mL = 750 mg/x mL. Therefore, x = 15
mL.
Question 2
A patient is prescribed 0.75 g of a medication. The tablets available contain 250 mg
each. How many tablets should be administered?
A. 1 tablet
B. 2 tablets
C. 3 tablets
D. 4 tablets
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 3 tablets
🔵 Explanation: Convert 0.75 g to 750 mg. Divide 750 mg by 250 mg/tablet to obtain 3
tablets.
Question 3
An order reads levothyroxine 125 mcg PO. Tablets available are 0.25 mg. How many
tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 0.25 tablet
B. 0.5 tablet
C. 1 tablet
D. 2 tablets
🔴 Correct Answer: B. 0.5 tablet
🔵 Explanation: 0.25 mg equals 250 mcg. The required 125 mcg is one-half of a 250-mcg
tablet.
Question 4
A patient weighs 154 lb. What is the patient's weight in kilograms? Round to the nearest
tenth.
A. 65.0 kg
B. 68.2 kg
C. 70.0 kg
D. 72.4 kg
,🔴 Correct Answer: B. 70.0 kg
🔵 Explanation: Divide pounds by 2.2: 154 ÷ 2.2 = 70 kg. Therefore, the correct value is
70.0 kg.
Question 5
An IV medication is ordered at 75 mL/hr. How much fluid will infuse in 8 hours?
A. 450 mL
B. 500 mL
C. 600 mL
D. 675 mL
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 600 mL
🔵 Explanation: Multiply 75 mL/hr by 8 hours: 75 × 8 = 600 mL.
Question 6
An order requires 1,250 mL of IV fluid to infuse over 10 hours. What pump rate should
be programmed?
A. 100 mL/hr
B. 115 mL/hr
C. 125 mL/hr
D. 150 mL/hr
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 125 mL/hr
🔵 Explanation: Divide the total volume by the infusion time: 1,250 ÷ 10 = 125 mL/hr.
Question 7
A medication is available as 40 mg/mL. The prescription is for 18 mg. How many mL
should be administered?
A. 0.25 mL
B. 0.35 mL
C. 0.45 mL
D. 0.55 mL
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 0.45 mL
🔵 Explanation: Divide 18 mg by 40 mg/mL. The result is 0.45 mL.
Question 8
The nurse must administer 2.4 mg of a medication available as 1.2 mg/0.5 mL. How
many mL are required?
, A. 0.5 mL
B. 1 mL
C. 1.5 mL
D. 2 mL
🔴 Correct Answer: B. 1 mL
🔵 Explanation: The concentration provides 1.2 mg in 0.5 mL. Doubling the dose to 2.4
mg requires 1 mL.
Question 9
A patient requires 375 mg of medication. The pharmacy supplies 125 mg capsules. How
many capsules are needed?
A. 2
B. 2.5
C. 3
D. 4
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 3
🔵 Explanation: Divide 375 mg by 125 mg/capsule. The required dose is 3 capsules.
Question 10
A medication is ordered at 0.4 mg/kg for a patient weighing 82 kg. What dose should
the nurse administer?
A. 28.8 mg
B. 30.8 mg
C. 32.8 mg
D. 34.8 mg
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 32.8 mg
🔵 Explanation: Multiply 0.4 mg/kg by 82 kg: 0.4 × 82 = 32.8 mg.
Question 11
A child weighs 44 lb. A medication is ordered at 8 mg/kg/day divided into four equal
doses. How many milligrams should the child receive per dose?
A. 10 mg
B. 15 mg
C. 20 mg
D. 25 mg
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 20 mg
🔵 Explanation: Convert 44 lb to 20 kg. The daily dose is 160 mg, and dividing by four
DOSAGE CALCULATION EXAM V1 | COMPREHENSIVE
PRACTICE EXAM | 150+ ACTUAL STUDY GUIDE
QUESTIONS & 100% CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES | 2026/2027 LATEST UPDATE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
i. Medication-Calculation Foundations and Dimensional Analysis
ii. Oral, Sublingual, Buccal, and Liquid Medications
iii. Parenteral Medications and Syringe Calculations
iv. IV Flow Rates, Infusion Pumps, and Time Calculations
v. Weight-Based and Pediatric Dosage Calculations
vi. Safe Dose Ranges and Maximum-Dose Verification
vii. Insulin, Heparin, and High-Alert Medication Calculations
viii. Reconstitution and Powdered Medications
ix. Critical Care, Complex Infusions, and Advanced Calculations
x. Clinical Judgment, Medication Safety, Rounding, and Error Prevention
DESCRIPTION
This comprehensive BSN 215 HESI Dosage Calculation practice examination evaluates
advanced medication-calculation competency through 150 challenging questions
covering dimensional analysis, oral and parenteral medications, IV infusions, weight-
based dosing, pediatric calculations, insulin, heparin, reconstitution, safe-dose
verification, infusion rates, and clinical decision-making. It is designed for nursing
students preparing for HESI-style assessments and advanced dosage-calculation
examinations. Questions emphasize calculation accuracy, appropriate rounding,
interpretation of medication orders, safe-dose limits, and recognition of potentially
dangerous discrepancies. Students should expect progressively difficult scenarios
requiring mathematical reasoning and clinical judgment. It contains 100+ questions and
answers with a rationale. (purchase and instantly get a downloadable and editable pdf)
QUESTIONS 1–150
Question 1
A prescription reads: amoxicillin 750 mg PO. The available suspension is 250 mg/5 mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer?
,A. 10 mL
B. 12.5 mL
C. 15 mL
D. 17.5 mL
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 15 mL
🔵 Explanation: Set up the proportion 250 mg/5 mL = 750 mg/x mL. Therefore, x = 15
mL.
Question 2
A patient is prescribed 0.75 g of a medication. The tablets available contain 250 mg
each. How many tablets should be administered?
A. 1 tablet
B. 2 tablets
C. 3 tablets
D. 4 tablets
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 3 tablets
🔵 Explanation: Convert 0.75 g to 750 mg. Divide 750 mg by 250 mg/tablet to obtain 3
tablets.
Question 3
An order reads levothyroxine 125 mcg PO. Tablets available are 0.25 mg. How many
tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 0.25 tablet
B. 0.5 tablet
C. 1 tablet
D. 2 tablets
🔴 Correct Answer: B. 0.5 tablet
🔵 Explanation: 0.25 mg equals 250 mcg. The required 125 mcg is one-half of a 250-mcg
tablet.
Question 4
A patient weighs 154 lb. What is the patient's weight in kilograms? Round to the nearest
tenth.
A. 65.0 kg
B. 68.2 kg
C. 70.0 kg
D. 72.4 kg
,🔴 Correct Answer: B. 70.0 kg
🔵 Explanation: Divide pounds by 2.2: 154 ÷ 2.2 = 70 kg. Therefore, the correct value is
70.0 kg.
Question 5
An IV medication is ordered at 75 mL/hr. How much fluid will infuse in 8 hours?
A. 450 mL
B. 500 mL
C. 600 mL
D. 675 mL
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 600 mL
🔵 Explanation: Multiply 75 mL/hr by 8 hours: 75 × 8 = 600 mL.
Question 6
An order requires 1,250 mL of IV fluid to infuse over 10 hours. What pump rate should
be programmed?
A. 100 mL/hr
B. 115 mL/hr
C. 125 mL/hr
D. 150 mL/hr
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 125 mL/hr
🔵 Explanation: Divide the total volume by the infusion time: 1,250 ÷ 10 = 125 mL/hr.
Question 7
A medication is available as 40 mg/mL. The prescription is for 18 mg. How many mL
should be administered?
A. 0.25 mL
B. 0.35 mL
C. 0.45 mL
D. 0.55 mL
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 0.45 mL
🔵 Explanation: Divide 18 mg by 40 mg/mL. The result is 0.45 mL.
Question 8
The nurse must administer 2.4 mg of a medication available as 1.2 mg/0.5 mL. How
many mL are required?
, A. 0.5 mL
B. 1 mL
C. 1.5 mL
D. 2 mL
🔴 Correct Answer: B. 1 mL
🔵 Explanation: The concentration provides 1.2 mg in 0.5 mL. Doubling the dose to 2.4
mg requires 1 mL.
Question 9
A patient requires 375 mg of medication. The pharmacy supplies 125 mg capsules. How
many capsules are needed?
A. 2
B. 2.5
C. 3
D. 4
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 3
🔵 Explanation: Divide 375 mg by 125 mg/capsule. The required dose is 3 capsules.
Question 10
A medication is ordered at 0.4 mg/kg for a patient weighing 82 kg. What dose should
the nurse administer?
A. 28.8 mg
B. 30.8 mg
C. 32.8 mg
D. 34.8 mg
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 32.8 mg
🔵 Explanation: Multiply 0.4 mg/kg by 82 kg: 0.4 × 82 = 32.8 mg.
Question 11
A child weighs 44 lb. A medication is ordered at 8 mg/kg/day divided into four equal
doses. How many milligrams should the child receive per dose?
A. 10 mg
B. 15 mg
C. 20 mg
D. 25 mg
🔴 Correct Answer: C. 20 mg
🔵 Explanation: Convert 44 lb to 20 kg. The daily dose is 160 mg, and dividing by four
