BSN HESI 215 Dosage Calculation Exam V2
ACTUAL EXAM 2026/2027 | Nightingale
College Med-Math | Verified Q&A | Pass
Guaranteed - A+ Graded
Building the Foundation: Basic Math & Conversions
Q1: A patient is prescribed 0.5 g of a medication. The pharmacy stocks 250 mg tablets. How many
tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 0.5 tablets
B. 1 tablet
C. 2 tablets [CORRECT]
D. 4 tablets
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: First convert grams to milligrams—0.5 g equals 500 mg. Then divide the ordered dose by the
available dose: 500 mg divided by 250 mg per tablet gives you 2 tablets. Always convert to the same unit
before you divide.
Q2: The provider orders 15 mL of an elixir. The patient only has a household teaspoon available at
home. How many teaspoons should the nurse teach the patient to take?
A. 2 teaspoons
B. 3 teaspoons [CORRECT]
C. 4 teaspoons
D. 5 teaspoons
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: Remember that 1 teaspoon equals 5 mL. To find the number of teaspoons in 15 mL, divide 15
by 5, which equals 3 teaspoons. This is a straightforward conversion that comes up all the time in home
medication teaching.
Q3: A medication is available as 0.125 mg per tablet. The order is for 250 mcg. How many tablets will the
nurse give?
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 1 tablet
C. 2 tablets [CORRECT]
D. 4 tablets
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Convert micrograms to milligrams first—250 mcg equals 0.25 mg. Then set up your ratio: 0.25
mg ordered divided by 0.125 mg per tablet equals 2 tablets. Watch those decimal places when you
convert between mcg and mg.
Q4: The physician orders gr 1/150 of a medication. The available tablets are labeled 0.4 mg each. How
many tablets should the nurse administer? (Use the conversion 1 gr = 60 mg)
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 1 tablet [CORRECT]
C. 1.5 tablets
D. 2 tablets
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Convert grains to milligrams using the given conversion: 1 gr = 60 mg, so 1/150 gr equals 60
divided by 150, which is 0.4 mg. The available tablet is exactly 0.4 mg, so the nurse gives 1 tablet. This is
one of those classic apothecary-to-metric problems that still shows up on exams.
Q5: An IV solution contains 25% dextrose. Express this percentage as a decimal for calculation purposes.
A. 0.025
B. 0.25 [CORRECT]
C. 2.5
D. 25.0
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: To convert a percentage to a decimal, move the decimal point two places to the left. So 25%
becomes 0.25. You will use this decimal form when calculating grams of dextrose in a given volume of
solution.
Q6: The nurse needs to give 0.75 L of fluid over 8 hours. How many milliliters is this order?
A. 75 mL
B. 750 mL [CORRECT]
C. 7,500 mL
D. 75,000 mL
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Since 1 liter equals 1,000 milliliters, multiply 0.75 by 1,000 to get 750 mL. This is a basic metric
conversion, but it is the foundation of every IV calculation you will do in clinical practice.
Q7: A patient is to receive 1/2 of a 325 mg tablet. How many milligrams is the patient receiving?
A. 162.5 mg [CORRECT]
B. 165 mg
C. 650 mg
D. 1,625 mg
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: One-half of 325 mg is calculated by dividing 325 by 2, which equals 162.5 mg. When you see a
fraction in an order, always convert it to the actual dose amount before you proceed with any further
calculations.
Q8: The order reads: give 2.5 mg/kg of a drug. The patient weighs 44 lb. What is the first step the nurse
must take to solve this problem correctly?
A. Multiply 2.5 by 44
B. Divide 44 by 2.2 to convert pounds to kilograms [CORRECT]
C. Divide 2.5 by the patient's weight in pounds
D. Multiply 44 by 2.2
Correct Answer: B
ACTUAL EXAM 2026/2027 | Nightingale
College Med-Math | Verified Q&A | Pass
Guaranteed - A+ Graded
Building the Foundation: Basic Math & Conversions
Q1: A patient is prescribed 0.5 g of a medication. The pharmacy stocks 250 mg tablets. How many
tablets should the nurse administer?
A. 0.5 tablets
B. 1 tablet
C. 2 tablets [CORRECT]
D. 4 tablets
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: First convert grams to milligrams—0.5 g equals 500 mg. Then divide the ordered dose by the
available dose: 500 mg divided by 250 mg per tablet gives you 2 tablets. Always convert to the same unit
before you divide.
Q2: The provider orders 15 mL of an elixir. The patient only has a household teaspoon available at
home. How many teaspoons should the nurse teach the patient to take?
A. 2 teaspoons
B. 3 teaspoons [CORRECT]
C. 4 teaspoons
D. 5 teaspoons
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: Remember that 1 teaspoon equals 5 mL. To find the number of teaspoons in 15 mL, divide 15
by 5, which equals 3 teaspoons. This is a straightforward conversion that comes up all the time in home
medication teaching.
Q3: A medication is available as 0.125 mg per tablet. The order is for 250 mcg. How many tablets will the
nurse give?
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 1 tablet
C. 2 tablets [CORRECT]
D. 4 tablets
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Convert micrograms to milligrams first—250 mcg equals 0.25 mg. Then set up your ratio: 0.25
mg ordered divided by 0.125 mg per tablet equals 2 tablets. Watch those decimal places when you
convert between mcg and mg.
Q4: The physician orders gr 1/150 of a medication. The available tablets are labeled 0.4 mg each. How
many tablets should the nurse administer? (Use the conversion 1 gr = 60 mg)
A. 0.5 tablet
B. 1 tablet [CORRECT]
C. 1.5 tablets
D. 2 tablets
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Convert grains to milligrams using the given conversion: 1 gr = 60 mg, so 1/150 gr equals 60
divided by 150, which is 0.4 mg. The available tablet is exactly 0.4 mg, so the nurse gives 1 tablet. This is
one of those classic apothecary-to-metric problems that still shows up on exams.
Q5: An IV solution contains 25% dextrose. Express this percentage as a decimal for calculation purposes.
A. 0.025
B. 0.25 [CORRECT]
C. 2.5
D. 25.0
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: To convert a percentage to a decimal, move the decimal point two places to the left. So 25%
becomes 0.25. You will use this decimal form when calculating grams of dextrose in a given volume of
solution.
Q6: The nurse needs to give 0.75 L of fluid over 8 hours. How many milliliters is this order?
A. 75 mL
B. 750 mL [CORRECT]
C. 7,500 mL
D. 75,000 mL
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Since 1 liter equals 1,000 milliliters, multiply 0.75 by 1,000 to get 750 mL. This is a basic metric
conversion, but it is the foundation of every IV calculation you will do in clinical practice.
Q7: A patient is to receive 1/2 of a 325 mg tablet. How many milligrams is the patient receiving?
A. 162.5 mg [CORRECT]
B. 165 mg
C. 650 mg
D. 1,625 mg
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: One-half of 325 mg is calculated by dividing 325 by 2, which equals 162.5 mg. When you see a
fraction in an order, always convert it to the actual dose amount before you proceed with any further
calculations.
Q8: The order reads: give 2.5 mg/kg of a drug. The patient weighs 44 lb. What is the first step the nurse
must take to solve this problem correctly?
A. Multiply 2.5 by 44
B. Divide 44 by 2.2 to convert pounds to kilograms [CORRECT]
C. Divide 2.5 by the patient's weight in pounds
D. Multiply 44 by 2.2
Correct Answer: B
