DOSAGE CALCULATION COMPETENCY COMPREHENSIVE EXAM PREP 2026 ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES ALREADY A GRADED WITH EXPERT FEEDBACK |NEW AND REVISED

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DOSAGE CALCULATION COMPETENCY
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM PREP 2026 ALL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES ALREADY A
GRADED WITH EXPERT FEEDBACK |NEW AND
REVISED

1. A patient is prescribed 500 mg of a medication. The available tablets
are 250 mg each. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
A) 1 tablet
B) 2 tablets
C) 3 tablets
D) 4 tablets
Rationale: 500 mg / 250 mg per tablet = 2 tablets. This is a basic
dosage calculation using the formula: Desired / Available.
2. A patient is prescribed 0.5 g of a medication. The available tablets are
250 mg each. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
A) 1 tablet
B) 2 tablets
C) 3 tablets
D) 4 tablets
Rationale: First, convert units: 0.5 g = 500 mg. Then, 500 mg / 250 mg
per tablet = 2 tablets.
3. A patient is prescribed 1.5 g of a liquid medication. The available
concentration is 500 mg per 5 mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer?

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A) 5 mL
B) 10 mL
C) 15 mL
D) 20 mL
Rationale: Convert 1.5 g to mg: 1.5 g = 1500 mg. Set up the
proportion: 500 mg / 5 mL = 1500 mg / X mL. Cross-multiply: 500X =
7500. X = 15 mL.
4. A patient is prescribed 1 L of IV fluid to infuse over 8 hours. What is
the hourly infusion rate in mL/hr?
A) 100 mL/hr
B) 125 mL/hr
C) 150 mL/hr
D) 200 mL/hr
Rationale: 1 L = 1000 mL. Total volume / Total time = 1000 mL / 8
hours = 125 mL/hr.
5. A patient is prescribed 750 mL of IV fluid to infuse over 6 hours. The
IV pump delivers mL/hr. What rate should the nurse set?
A) 100 mL/hr
B) 125 mL/hr
C) 150 mL/hr
D) 200 mL/hr
Rationale: Total volume / Total time = 750 mL / 6 hours = 125 mL/hr.
6. A patient is prescribed 1000 mL of 0.9% Normal Saline to infuse over
10 hours. The drop factor of the IV tubing is 15 gtt/mL. What is the drip
rate in gtt/min?
A) 15 gtt/min
B) 20 gtt/min
C) 25 gtt/min
D) 30 gtt/min

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Rationale: Calculate mL/hr: 1000 mL / 10 hours = 100 mL/hr. Use the
formula: Drip rate (gtt/min) = (Volume in mL / Time in minutes) ×
Drop factor. Time in minutes = 10 hours × 60 = 600 minutes. (1000
mL / 600 min) × 15 gtt/mL = 1.6667 × 15 = 25 gtt/min.
7. A patient is prescribed an IV infusion of 500 mL of D5W to infuse
over 4 hours. The drop factor is 20 gtt/mL. What is the drip rate in
gtt/min?
A) 31 gtt/min
B) 42 gtt/min
C) 50 gtt/min
D) 62 gtt/min
Rationale: Calculate mL/hr: 500 mL / 4 hours = 125 mL/hr. Time in
minutes = 4 hours × 60 = 240 minutes. Drip rate = (500 mL / 240 min)
× 20 gtt/mL = 2.0833 × 20 = 41.67 gtt/min ≈ 42 gtt/min.
8. A patient weighs 150 lbs. What is the patient's weight in kg? (Round
to the nearest tenth.)
A) 66 kg
B) 68.2 kg
C) 70 kg
D) 75 kg
Rationale: 1 kg = 2.2 lbs. 150 lbs / 2.2 = 68.18 kg. Rounded to the
nearest tenth = 68.2 kg.
9. A patient is prescribed a medication that requires a dose of 5 mg/kg.
The patient weighs 176 lbs. What is the dose in mg? (Round to the
nearest whole number.)
A) 350 mg
B) 400 mg
C) 420 mg
D) 450 mg

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Rationale: Convert weight to kg: 176 lbs / 2.2 = 80 kg. Dose = 5 mg/kg
× 80 kg = 400 mg.
10. A patient is prescribed a medication that requires a dose of 10
mg/kg. The patient weighs 132 lbs. The available concentration is 50
mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse administer? (Round to the
nearest tenth.)
A) 8 mL
B) 10 mL
C) 12 mL
D) 15 mL
Rationale: Convert weight to kg: 132 lbs / 2.2 = 60 kg. Dose = 10
mg/kg × 60 kg = 600 mg. Volume = Dose / Concentration = 600 mg /
50 mg/mL = 12 mL.
11. A patient is prescribed 1000 mg of a medication. The available
concentration is 500 mg per 10 mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer?
A) 10 mL
B) 15 mL
C) 20 mL
D) 25 mL
Rationale: Set up the proportion: 500 mg / 10 mL = 1000 mg / X mL.
Cross-multiply: 500X = 10000. X = 20 mL.
12. A patient is prescribed an IV bolus of 50 mg of a medication. The
available concentration is 100 mg/2 mL. How many mL should the
nurse administer?
A) 0.5 mL
B) 1 mL
C) 2 mL
D) 4 mL