,Nursing Clinical Medication and Dosage
Calculation Practice Exam questions and
correct answers – Updated 2026 (Graded A+)
instant download pdf
Subject: NSG 4800 Transition to Professional Practice
Subtopic: Basic Dosage Calculations and Safe Medication Administration
Question 1: An order is received for 500 mg of a medication available in 250 mg tablets. How
many tablets should the nurse administer to fulfill this order?
A) 0.5 tablets
B) 1 tablet
C) 1.5 tablets
D) 2 tablets
Correct Answer: D - 2 tablets
*Rationale: Rationale: To calculate the dose, use the formula (Desired / Have) × Quantity. In
this scenario, (500 mg / 250 mg) × 1 tablet = 2 tablets. Option A is incorrect as it represents half
the dose; Option B is incorrect as it represents 250 mg; Option C is incorrect as it represents
375 mg.
Question 2: A physician orders 1000 mL of 0.9% Normal Saline to infuse over 8 hours. The drop
factor of the manual tubing is 15 gtt/mL. What is the correct flow rate in drops per minute
(gtt/min)? (Round to the nearest whole number).
A) 25 gtt/min
B) 31 gtt/min
C) 42 gtt/min
D) 125 gtt/min
Correct Answer: B - 31 gtt/min
,*Rationale: Rationale: The formula for gtt/min is (Volume in mL / Time in minutes) × Drop
Factor. First, convert 8 hours to minutes (8 × 60 = 480 minutes). Then, (1000 mL / 480 min) ×
15 gtt/mL = 31.25. Rounding to the nearest whole number gives 31 gtt/min. Option A, C, and D
are mathematical errors resulting from incorrect time conversion or formula setup.
Question 3: The patient is prescribed Heparin 5,000 units subcutaneously. The vial is labeled
10,000 units/mL. How much medication should the nurse draw up?
A) 0.25 mL
B) 0.5 mL
C) 0.75 mL
D) 1.0 mL
Correct Answer: B - 0.5 mL
*Rationale: Rationale: Using the formula (Desired / Have) × Quantity: (5,000 units / 10,000
units) × 1 mL = 0.5 mL. Option A would only provide 2,500 units; Option C would provide
7,500 units; Option D would provide an overdose of 10,000 units.
Question 4: A patient requires 0.75 mg of Digoxin. The medication is supplied as 0.25 mg
tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
A) 1 tablet
B) 2 tablets
C) 3 tablets
D) 4 tablets
Correct Answer: C - 3 tablets
*Rationale: Rationale: (Desired 0.75 mg / Have 0.25 mg) × 1 tablet = 3 tablets. This requires
careful attention to the decimal place to avoid medication errors. Option A (0.25 mg) and B (0.5
mg) are underdoses; Option D (1.0 mg) is an overdose.
Question 5: A provider orders an IV infusion of 250 mL of D5W to be administered over 45
minutes. What is the rate in mL/hr?
A) 250 mL/hr
B) 280 mL/hr
, C) 333 mL/hr
D) 450 mL/hr
Correct Answer: C - 333 mL/hr
*Rationale: Rationale: To find the rate in mL/hr, divide the total volume by the time in hours. 45
minutes is 0.75 hours (). Therefore, 250 mL / 0.75 hr = 333.33, which rounds to 333
mL/hr. The other options fail to correctly convert the minutes to the fraction of an hour.
Question 6: A patient is ordered 25 mg of a drug via IM injection. The supply is 50 mg/2 mL.
What volume will the nurse administer?
A) 0.5 mL
B) 1 mL
C) 1.5 mL
D) 2 mL
Correct Answer: B - 1 mL
*Rationale: Rationale: (Desired 25 mg / Have 50 mg) × 2 mL = 1 mL. Option A would result in
an underdose of 12.5 mg; Option C and D would result in overdoses.
Question 7: A physician orders 5 mcg/kg/min of Dopamine for a patient weighing 80 kg. What is
the dosage in mcg/min?
A) 16 mcg/min
B) 80 mcg/min
C) 400 mcg/min
D) 800 mcg/min
Correct Answer: C - 400 mcg/min
*Rationale: Rationale: Calculate by multiplying the dosage rate by the patient's weight: 5 mcg ×
80 kg = 400 mcg/min. This calculation is essential for weight-based titration. Other options
represent errors in basic multiplication.
Question 8: A nurse must prepare a dose of 300 mg from a bottle labeled 1 g / 5 mL. How many
mL are needed?
Calculation Practice Exam questions and
correct answers – Updated 2026 (Graded A+)
instant download pdf
Subject: NSG 4800 Transition to Professional Practice
Subtopic: Basic Dosage Calculations and Safe Medication Administration
Question 1: An order is received for 500 mg of a medication available in 250 mg tablets. How
many tablets should the nurse administer to fulfill this order?
A) 0.5 tablets
B) 1 tablet
C) 1.5 tablets
D) 2 tablets
Correct Answer: D - 2 tablets
*Rationale: Rationale: To calculate the dose, use the formula (Desired / Have) × Quantity. In
this scenario, (500 mg / 250 mg) × 1 tablet = 2 tablets. Option A is incorrect as it represents half
the dose; Option B is incorrect as it represents 250 mg; Option C is incorrect as it represents
375 mg.
Question 2: A physician orders 1000 mL of 0.9% Normal Saline to infuse over 8 hours. The drop
factor of the manual tubing is 15 gtt/mL. What is the correct flow rate in drops per minute
(gtt/min)? (Round to the nearest whole number).
A) 25 gtt/min
B) 31 gtt/min
C) 42 gtt/min
D) 125 gtt/min
Correct Answer: B - 31 gtt/min
,*Rationale: Rationale: The formula for gtt/min is (Volume in mL / Time in minutes) × Drop
Factor. First, convert 8 hours to minutes (8 × 60 = 480 minutes). Then, (1000 mL / 480 min) ×
15 gtt/mL = 31.25. Rounding to the nearest whole number gives 31 gtt/min. Option A, C, and D
are mathematical errors resulting from incorrect time conversion or formula setup.
Question 3: The patient is prescribed Heparin 5,000 units subcutaneously. The vial is labeled
10,000 units/mL. How much medication should the nurse draw up?
A) 0.25 mL
B) 0.5 mL
C) 0.75 mL
D) 1.0 mL
Correct Answer: B - 0.5 mL
*Rationale: Rationale: Using the formula (Desired / Have) × Quantity: (5,000 units / 10,000
units) × 1 mL = 0.5 mL. Option A would only provide 2,500 units; Option C would provide
7,500 units; Option D would provide an overdose of 10,000 units.
Question 4: A patient requires 0.75 mg of Digoxin. The medication is supplied as 0.25 mg
tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
A) 1 tablet
B) 2 tablets
C) 3 tablets
D) 4 tablets
Correct Answer: C - 3 tablets
*Rationale: Rationale: (Desired 0.75 mg / Have 0.25 mg) × 1 tablet = 3 tablets. This requires
careful attention to the decimal place to avoid medication errors. Option A (0.25 mg) and B (0.5
mg) are underdoses; Option D (1.0 mg) is an overdose.
Question 5: A provider orders an IV infusion of 250 mL of D5W to be administered over 45
minutes. What is the rate in mL/hr?
A) 250 mL/hr
B) 280 mL/hr
, C) 333 mL/hr
D) 450 mL/hr
Correct Answer: C - 333 mL/hr
*Rationale: Rationale: To find the rate in mL/hr, divide the total volume by the time in hours. 45
minutes is 0.75 hours (). Therefore, 250 mL / 0.75 hr = 333.33, which rounds to 333
mL/hr. The other options fail to correctly convert the minutes to the fraction of an hour.
Question 6: A patient is ordered 25 mg of a drug via IM injection. The supply is 50 mg/2 mL.
What volume will the nurse administer?
A) 0.5 mL
B) 1 mL
C) 1.5 mL
D) 2 mL
Correct Answer: B - 1 mL
*Rationale: Rationale: (Desired 25 mg / Have 50 mg) × 2 mL = 1 mL. Option A would result in
an underdose of 12.5 mg; Option C and D would result in overdoses.
Question 7: A physician orders 5 mcg/kg/min of Dopamine for a patient weighing 80 kg. What is
the dosage in mcg/min?
A) 16 mcg/min
B) 80 mcg/min
C) 400 mcg/min
D) 800 mcg/min
Correct Answer: C - 400 mcg/min
*Rationale: Rationale: Calculate by multiplying the dosage rate by the patient's weight: 5 mcg ×
80 kg = 400 mcg/min. This calculation is essential for weight-based titration. Other options
represent errors in basic multiplication.
Question 8: A nurse must prepare a dose of 300 mg from a bottle labeled 1 g / 5 mL. How many
mL are needed?
