DOSAGE CALCULATION HESI
PRACTICE SET 2026 55 TESTED
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS
◉ A client with hypertension who weighs 72.4 kg is receiving an
infusion of nitroprusside (Nipride) 50 mg in D5W 250 ml at 75 ml/hour.
How many mcg/kg/minute is the client receiving? (Enter numeric value
only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.) Answer: 3.5
Calculate the mg/hour infusing, 50 mg : 250 ml = X : 75 ml 250X =
3750 and X = 15 mg/hour. Next, convert mg/hr to mcg/hour, 15 mg/hour
= 1 mg / 1000 mcg = 15,000 mcg/hour, then divide by 60 min = 250
mcg/minute. Lastly, 250 mcg/72.4 kg/min = 3.45 = 3.5 mcg/kg/minute.
◉ A client who weighs 70 kg is receiving a dopamine solution of 800
mg/500 ml normal saline at 5 ml/hour. How many mcg/kg/minute is the
client receiving? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required,
round to the nearest tenth.) Answer: 1.9
To change ml/hour to mcg/kg/minute, use the formula: desired rate (5
ml/hour) / volume available (500 ml) x dose available (800 mg) = 8
mg/hour. Next, convert milligrams/hour to mcg/kg/minute: mg (8) x
1000 / kg (70) / 60 minutes = 1.904 = 1.9 mcg/kg/minute.
,◉ A client is receiving an IV solution of sodium chloride 0.9% (Normal
Saline) 250 ml with amiodarone (Cordarone) 1 gram at 17 ml/hour. How
many mg/minute of amiodarone is infusing? (Enter numeric value only.
If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.) Answer: Convert
grams to mg, 1 gram equals 1,000 mg. Using ratio and proportion -
1,000 mg : 250 ml :: X mg : 1ml 250X= 1,000 so X = 4 mg/ml is the
solution concentration of amiodarone. The infusion rate (ml/hour) x
concentration (mg/ml) divided by 60 minutes/hour 17 ml/hour x 4
mg/ml = 68/60 = 1.13 = 1.1 mg/minute.
◉ A client who weighs 176 pounds is receiving an IV infusion with
esmolol hydrochloride (Brevibloc) at 48 ml/hour. The IV solution is
labeled with the concentration of Brevibloc 10 mg/ml. How many
mcg/kg/minute is the client receiving? (Enter numeric value only.)
Answer: 100
Convert pounds to kg by dividing 176 pounds by 2.2 pounds = 80 kg.
Convert the IV concentration from mg to mcg. 1 mg : 1000 mcg :: 10
mg : 10,000 mcg. Infusion rate (48 ml/hour) x concentration (10,000
mcg/ml) divided by 60 minutes/hour x 80 kg = 48 x 10,000 divided by
60 x 80 = 480, = 100 mcg/kg/minute.
◉ The nurse is preparing the change-of-shift report for a client who has
a 265 ml secondary infusion that was started 2 hours ago at a rate of 85
ml/hour via an infusion pump. The nurse should report that how many
ml remain to be infused by the on-coming nurse? (Enter numeric value
only.) Answer: 95
, 85 ml x 2 hours = 170 ml has infused. 265 ml (total amount to be
infused) - 170 ml (amount infused) = 95 ml remain to be infused.
◉ A male client receives a prescription for ondansetron hydrochloride
(Zofran) 4 mg IV to prevent postoperative nausea after an inguinal
hernia repair. The medication is available in 2 mg/ml. How many ml
should the nurse administer? (Enter numeric value only.) Answer: 2
Use ratio and proportion, 4 mg : X ml = 2 mg : 1 ml 2X = 4 X = 2
◉ The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis B Vaccine,
Recombinant (Energix-B) 5 mcg IM to a school-aged child. The vaccine
is labeled, 10 mcg/ml. How many ml should the nurse administer?
(Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest
tenth). Answer: 1 or 0.5
Use ratio and proportion, 5 mcg : X ml :: 10 mcg : 1ml
10X = 5 X = 0.5 ml
◉ A client's daily PO prescription for aripiprazole (Abilify) is increased
from 15 mg to 30 mg. The medication is available in 15 mg tablets, and
the client already received one tablet today. How many additional tablets
should the nurse administer so the client receives the total newly
prescribed dose for the day? (Enter numeric value only.) Answer: 1
PRACTICE SET 2026 55 TESTED
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS
◉ A client with hypertension who weighs 72.4 kg is receiving an
infusion of nitroprusside (Nipride) 50 mg in D5W 250 ml at 75 ml/hour.
How many mcg/kg/minute is the client receiving? (Enter numeric value
only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.) Answer: 3.5
Calculate the mg/hour infusing, 50 mg : 250 ml = X : 75 ml 250X =
3750 and X = 15 mg/hour. Next, convert mg/hr to mcg/hour, 15 mg/hour
= 1 mg / 1000 mcg = 15,000 mcg/hour, then divide by 60 min = 250
mcg/minute. Lastly, 250 mcg/72.4 kg/min = 3.45 = 3.5 mcg/kg/minute.
◉ A client who weighs 70 kg is receiving a dopamine solution of 800
mg/500 ml normal saline at 5 ml/hour. How many mcg/kg/minute is the
client receiving? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required,
round to the nearest tenth.) Answer: 1.9
To change ml/hour to mcg/kg/minute, use the formula: desired rate (5
ml/hour) / volume available (500 ml) x dose available (800 mg) = 8
mg/hour. Next, convert milligrams/hour to mcg/kg/minute: mg (8) x
1000 / kg (70) / 60 minutes = 1.904 = 1.9 mcg/kg/minute.
,◉ A client is receiving an IV solution of sodium chloride 0.9% (Normal
Saline) 250 ml with amiodarone (Cordarone) 1 gram at 17 ml/hour. How
many mg/minute of amiodarone is infusing? (Enter numeric value only.
If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.) Answer: Convert
grams to mg, 1 gram equals 1,000 mg. Using ratio and proportion -
1,000 mg : 250 ml :: X mg : 1ml 250X= 1,000 so X = 4 mg/ml is the
solution concentration of amiodarone. The infusion rate (ml/hour) x
concentration (mg/ml) divided by 60 minutes/hour 17 ml/hour x 4
mg/ml = 68/60 = 1.13 = 1.1 mg/minute.
◉ A client who weighs 176 pounds is receiving an IV infusion with
esmolol hydrochloride (Brevibloc) at 48 ml/hour. The IV solution is
labeled with the concentration of Brevibloc 10 mg/ml. How many
mcg/kg/minute is the client receiving? (Enter numeric value only.)
Answer: 100
Convert pounds to kg by dividing 176 pounds by 2.2 pounds = 80 kg.
Convert the IV concentration from mg to mcg. 1 mg : 1000 mcg :: 10
mg : 10,000 mcg. Infusion rate (48 ml/hour) x concentration (10,000
mcg/ml) divided by 60 minutes/hour x 80 kg = 48 x 10,000 divided by
60 x 80 = 480, = 100 mcg/kg/minute.
◉ The nurse is preparing the change-of-shift report for a client who has
a 265 ml secondary infusion that was started 2 hours ago at a rate of 85
ml/hour via an infusion pump. The nurse should report that how many
ml remain to be infused by the on-coming nurse? (Enter numeric value
only.) Answer: 95
, 85 ml x 2 hours = 170 ml has infused. 265 ml (total amount to be
infused) - 170 ml (amount infused) = 95 ml remain to be infused.
◉ A male client receives a prescription for ondansetron hydrochloride
(Zofran) 4 mg IV to prevent postoperative nausea after an inguinal
hernia repair. The medication is available in 2 mg/ml. How many ml
should the nurse administer? (Enter numeric value only.) Answer: 2
Use ratio and proportion, 4 mg : X ml = 2 mg : 1 ml 2X = 4 X = 2
◉ The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis B Vaccine,
Recombinant (Energix-B) 5 mcg IM to a school-aged child. The vaccine
is labeled, 10 mcg/ml. How many ml should the nurse administer?
(Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest
tenth). Answer: 1 or 0.5
Use ratio and proportion, 5 mcg : X ml :: 10 mcg : 1ml
10X = 5 X = 0.5 ml
◉ A client's daily PO prescription for aripiprazole (Abilify) is increased
from 15 mg to 30 mg. The medication is available in 15 mg tablets, and
the client already received one tablet today. How many additional tablets
should the nurse administer so the client receives the total newly
prescribed dose for the day? (Enter numeric value only.) Answer: 1
