HESI Dosage Calculations & BSN
HESI 215 Dosage Calculation
Exam Questions and Answers
(2026-2027) | Complete Verified
Study Guide
100+
Verified Answers Exam Ready With Rationales
100 QUESTIONS
DOCUMENT OVERVIEW
This 2026/27 examination package spans 2 modules — HESI Dosage Calculations
and BSN HESI 215 Dosage Calculation — totaling 100 verified questions tailored
for HESI preparation. Questions are evenly distributed across all modules. Every item
ships with detailed rationales explaining the underlying principle, and verified correct
answers. Best used as a structured review across these sections, or as targeted
remediation on any single module. See the Table of Contents below for the full module
breakdown and question ranges.
CONTENTS
Page 1
, 01 HESI Dosage Calculations Q1–Q50
02 BSN HESI 215 Dosage Calculation Q51–Q100
MODULE 1 OF 2
HESI Dosage Calculations
50 Questions Q1–Q50
Q1 QUESTION 1 OF 100 HESI Dosage Calculations
A client with cardiogenic shock weighs 220 lb and is receiving dopamine at the rate of 3
mcg/kg/minute. The solution strength available is dopamine 400 mg in 250 ml of D5W. The
nurse should set the infusion pump to deliver how many ml/hour? (Enter numeric value
only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth.)
CORRECT ANSWER
11.3
First, convert pounds to kg, 220 lb : X = 2.2 lb : 1 kg = 100 kg. Next, calculate the
dosage per minute, 3 mcg/kg/min x 100 kg = 300 mcg/min. Convert mcg/min to
mcg/hour, 300 mcg/min x 60 min=18,000 mcg/hour. Convert mcg/hr to mg/hour,
18,000 mcg/hr = 18.0 mg/hour. Calculate the rate, 400 mg : 250 ml = 18 mg : X ml
400X = 4500 X = 11.25 = 11.3 ml. So, 18 mg/11.3 ml should be infused at 11.3 ml/hour.
RATIONALE
Accurate calculation of the dopamine infusion rate requires converting patient weight to
kilograms, determining the desired mcg/kg/min dosage, converting this to mg/hour, and
then applying the concentration of the available solution to find the ml/hour delivery rate.
This process ensures the patient receives the prescribed hemodynamic support without
exceeding therapeutic limits.
Page 2
, Q2 QUESTION 2 OF 100 HESI Dosage Calculations
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.)
CORRECT 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.
RATIONALE
5 mcg/kg/minute. This calculation demonstrates the process of converting drug
concentration and infusion rate to a weight-based dosage per minute.
Q3 QUESTION 3 OF 100 HESI Dosage Calculations
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.)
CORRECT 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.
RATIONALE
The calculation converts the infusion rate from ml/hour to mg/hour, then to mcg/kg/minute
by accounting for the concentration, patient weight, and time conversion. This process
directly determines the precise dosage delivered per kilogram of body weight per minute.
Page 3
, Q4 QUESTION 4 OF 100 HESI Dosage Calculations
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.)
CORRECT 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.
RATIONALE
Calculate the concentration of amiodarone in mg/ml, then multiply by the infusion rate in
ml/minute to determine the mg/minute infusion. This involves dimensional analysis to
convert the total drug amount and volume to a per-milliliter concentration and then to a per-
minute rate.
Q5 QUESTION 5 OF 100 HESI Dosage Calculations
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.)
CORRECT 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.
RATIONALE
Precise dosage calculation requires converting the client's weight to kilograms, the drug
concentration to micrograms per milliliter, and then determining the infusion rate in
micrograms per kilogram per minute. This involves a series of unit conversions and
arithmetic operations to accurately assess the administered medication dose.
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