Chapter 1 —Medication Orders & Tablet
Calculations
Stem: An order reads: Acetaminophen 0.5 g PO. The medication
available is 250 mg tablets. How many tablets should the nurse
administer?
A. 1 tablet
B. 2 tablets
C. 0.5 tablet
D. 3 tablets
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (correct):
Step-by-step: 0.5 g × (1000 mg / 1 g) = 500 mg.
,Needed = 500 mg ÷ 250 mg/tablet = 2 tablets.
Principle: convert grams → milligrams before division.
Incorrect options:
A (1 tablet) — reflects forgetting to convert grams to mg (250
mg given instead of 500 mg).
C (0.5 tablet) — reflects dividing 250 into 0.5 g as if 0.5 g = 125
mg (decimal error).
D (3 tablets) — reflects rounding up incorrectly or adding an
extra tablet.
Teaching Point: Always convert to same units before
calculating dose.
2. Chapter 1 — Section: IV Infusion Basics — Safety in
Medication Administration
Stem: Order: Infuse 1000 mL IV fluid over 8 hours. What
infusion rate (mL/hr) should be programmed?
A. 100 mL/hr
B. 125 mL/hr
C. 150 mL/hr
D. 200 mL/hr
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (correct):
Step-by-step: Rate = total volume / hours = 1000 mL ÷ 8 hr =
125.0 mL/hr.
,Incorrect options:
A (100 mL/hr) — reflects dividing 800 or using an incorrect time
(1000 ÷ 10).
C (150 mL/hr) — reflects misdivision (1000 ÷ 6.67) or arithmetic
error.
D (200 mL/hr) — reflects using 5 hours instead of 8.
Teaching Point: Use volume ÷ time (hours) for mL/hr infusion
rates.
3. Chapter 1 — Section: Drip Rate & Drop Factor — Safety in
Medication Administration
Stem: An IV is set to run at 125 mL/hr using a microdrip set (60
gtt/mL). What is the drip rate in drops per minute (gtt/min)?
A. 83 gtt/min
B. 125 gtt/min
C. 250 gtt/min
D. 42 gtt/min
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (correct):
Step-by-step: mL/min = 125 mL/hr ÷ 60 min/hr = 2.083333...
mL/min.
gtt/min = mL/min × drop factor = 2.083333... × 60 gtt/mL = 125
gtt/min.
(Exact value: 125 gtt/min)
, Incorrect options:
A (83) — reflects using drop factor 40 or incorrect division (125
× 40/60 ≈ 83).
C (250) — doubling error (125 × 2).
D (42) — reflects calculation error or using 15 gtt/mL factor.
Teaching Point: Convert mL/hr → mL/min, then multiply by
gtt/mL.
4. Chapter 1 — Section: Pediatric Weight-Based Dosing —
Safety in Medication Administration
Stem: Order: Ampicillin 10 mg/kg IM once. Child weight = 18 kg.
Vial concentration = 50 mg/mL. What volume (mL) should be
administered?
A. 1.8 mL
B. 3.6 mL
C. 4.0 mL
D. 2.4 mL
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (correct):
Dose mg = 10 mg/kg × 18 kg = 180 mg.
Volume = dose ÷ concentration = 180 mg ÷ (50 mg/mL) = 3.6
mL.
Incorrect options:
A (1.8 mL) — reflects halving the correct dose (maybe mis-
Calculations
Stem: An order reads: Acetaminophen 0.5 g PO. The medication
available is 250 mg tablets. How many tablets should the nurse
administer?
A. 1 tablet
B. 2 tablets
C. 0.5 tablet
D. 3 tablets
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (correct):
Step-by-step: 0.5 g × (1000 mg / 1 g) = 500 mg.
,Needed = 500 mg ÷ 250 mg/tablet = 2 tablets.
Principle: convert grams → milligrams before division.
Incorrect options:
A (1 tablet) — reflects forgetting to convert grams to mg (250
mg given instead of 500 mg).
C (0.5 tablet) — reflects dividing 250 into 0.5 g as if 0.5 g = 125
mg (decimal error).
D (3 tablets) — reflects rounding up incorrectly or adding an
extra tablet.
Teaching Point: Always convert to same units before
calculating dose.
2. Chapter 1 — Section: IV Infusion Basics — Safety in
Medication Administration
Stem: Order: Infuse 1000 mL IV fluid over 8 hours. What
infusion rate (mL/hr) should be programmed?
A. 100 mL/hr
B. 125 mL/hr
C. 150 mL/hr
D. 200 mL/hr
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (correct):
Step-by-step: Rate = total volume / hours = 1000 mL ÷ 8 hr =
125.0 mL/hr.
,Incorrect options:
A (100 mL/hr) — reflects dividing 800 or using an incorrect time
(1000 ÷ 10).
C (150 mL/hr) — reflects misdivision (1000 ÷ 6.67) or arithmetic
error.
D (200 mL/hr) — reflects using 5 hours instead of 8.
Teaching Point: Use volume ÷ time (hours) for mL/hr infusion
rates.
3. Chapter 1 — Section: Drip Rate & Drop Factor — Safety in
Medication Administration
Stem: An IV is set to run at 125 mL/hr using a microdrip set (60
gtt/mL). What is the drip rate in drops per minute (gtt/min)?
A. 83 gtt/min
B. 125 gtt/min
C. 250 gtt/min
D. 42 gtt/min
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (correct):
Step-by-step: mL/min = 125 mL/hr ÷ 60 min/hr = 2.083333...
mL/min.
gtt/min = mL/min × drop factor = 2.083333... × 60 gtt/mL = 125
gtt/min.
(Exact value: 125 gtt/min)
, Incorrect options:
A (83) — reflects using drop factor 40 or incorrect division (125
× 40/60 ≈ 83).
C (250) — doubling error (125 × 2).
D (42) — reflects calculation error or using 15 gtt/mL factor.
Teaching Point: Convert mL/hr → mL/min, then multiply by
gtt/mL.
4. Chapter 1 — Section: Pediatric Weight-Based Dosing —
Safety in Medication Administration
Stem: Order: Ampicillin 10 mg/kg IM once. Child weight = 18 kg.
Vial concentration = 50 mg/mL. What volume (mL) should be
administered?
A. 1.8 mL
B. 3.6 mL
C. 4.0 mL
D. 2.4 mL
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (correct):
Dose mg = 10 mg/kg × 18 kg = 180 mg.
Volume = dose ÷ concentration = 180 mg ÷ (50 mg/mL) = 3.6
mL.
Incorrect options:
A (1.8 mL) — reflects halving the correct dose (maybe mis-
