HESI Practice Dosage Calculations
1. 83.3 mcg/kg/min - ANSWER A client who weighs 220 pounds is receiving
an IV infusion of esmolol hydrochloride (Brevibloc) at 50 ml/hr. The IV
solution is labeled with the concentration of Breviblock 10 mg/ml. How
many mcg/kg/minute is the client receiving? (
2. 50 ml - ANSWER The nurse is preparing the change of shift report for a
client who has a 275 ml secondary infusion that started 3 hours ago at a rate
of 75 ml/hr via an infusion pump. The nurse should report that how many
mL remain to be infused by the oncoming nurse? (Enter numeric value only.
If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth).
3. 0.5 ml - ANSWER A male client receives a prescription for Phenergan 12.5
mg IV to prevent postoperative nausea after an inguinal hernia repair. The
medication is available in 25 mg/ml. How many ml should the nurse
administer?
4. 144 ml - ANSWER A client with a gastrostomy tube (GT) receives a
prescription for a 480 ml bolus feeding of Glucerna 70% enteral formula.
The nurse should dilute the full strength formula with how many ml of
water?
5. 0.3 ml - ANSWER The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis B
vaccine, Recombinant (Energix-B) 2.5 mcg IM to a school aged child. The
vaccine is labeled, 10 mcg/ml. How many ml should the nurse administer?
(Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest
tenth).
,6. 2 tablets - ANSWER A client's daily PO prescription for ariprazole
(Abilify) is increased from 15 mg to 45 mg. The medication is available in
15 mg tablets, and the client already received one tablet today. How many
additional tablets should the nurse administer so the client receives the total
newly prescribed dose for the day.
7. 150 ml/hr - ANSWER The nurse is administering 600 ml of IV solution to
be infused over 4 hours. How many ml/hour should the nurse program the
infusion pump?
8. 3 ml - ANSWER The nurse is preparing to administer 0.75 mg of Bumex
IV. The medication is available in a vial labeled 1 mg/4ml. How many ml of
medication should the nurse administer?
9. 3.5 tablets - ANSWER A client with hypertension receive a prescription for
Cartel 7 mg PO daily. The drug is available in 2 mg scored tablets. How
many tablets should the nurse administer?
10.4.8 ml - ANSWER The healthcare provider prescribes Bactrim DS oral
suspension 240 mg BID for a child with bronchitis. The Bactrim bottle is
labeled 250 mg/5ml. How many ml should the nurse administer? (if
rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth).
11.140 mg/dose - ANSWER The healthcare provider prescribes Diamox 800
mg/m2/day divided into 4 doses. The nurse calculates the childs body
surface area (BSA) as 0.7m2. How many mg should the child receive per
dose?
12.200 ml - ANSWER A loading dose of acetylcysteine (Mucomyst) 10 g,
which is available as a 20% solution (200 mg acetylcysteine per ml) is
prescribed by nasogastric tube for a client with acetaminophen toxicity. How
, many ml of diluent should be added to the medication to obtain 1:4
concentration? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to
the nearest tenth).
13.2 tablets - ANSWER A child who weighs 62 pounds receives a prescription
for atovaquone with proguanil (Malarone Pediatric) 125 mg/50mg PO daily.
A drug reference states that children 11 - 20 kg should receive 1 pediatric
tablet daily, 21 - 30 kg should receive 2 pediatric tablets daily, 31 - 40 kg
should receive 3 pediatric tablets daily, and > 40 kg should receive 1 adult
tablet daily with food. The drug is available as atovaquone 62.5mg/proguanil
25 mg pediatric tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
14.6 tablets - ANSWER A client receives a prescription for azithromycin
(Zithromax) 500 mg PO on day 1, then 250 mg on days 2-5. Azithromycin is
available in 250 mg scored tablets. How many tablets should pharmacy send
to the unit to cover the five day period the patient is on the medication?
15.115 ml/hr - ANSWER A client who is scheduled for a kidney transplant
receives a prescription for basiliximab (Simulect) 20 mg IV 2 hours prior to
surgery. The medication is available in a 20 mg vial that is reconstituted by
adding 7.5 ml sterile water for injection, and administered in a 50 ml bag of
normal saline over 30 minutes. The nurse should program the infusion pump
to deliver how many ml per hour?
16.20 mU/min - ANSWER The nurse notes that a client is receiving an
oxytocin (Pitocin) infusion via a pump that is programmed to deliver 40
ml/hr. The available solution is Ringers Lactated 1000 ml with Pitocin 30
units. How many milliunits/minute is the client receiving?
17.30 ml/hr - ANSWER A client is receiving Heparin Sodium 15,000 units in
5% Dextrose injection 500 ml IV at 1000 unit/hour per protocol for acute
coronary syndrome (ACS). The client's partial thromboplastin (PTT) is 76
, seconds. Based on ACS protocol, the infusion should be decreased by 100
units/hour for a PTT between 71 to 80 seconds. The nurse should program
the pump to deliver how many ml/hour?
18.9 ml/hr - ANSWER The healthcare provider prescribes oxytocin (Pitocin)
1.5 milliunits/minute for a client in labor. One liter of Ringers Lactate with
10 units of oxytocin (Pitocin) is infusing. The nurse should program the
infusion pump at how many ml/hour?
19.3 capsules - ANSWER Docusate sodium (Colace) 300 mg is prescribed for
a client who has frequent constipation. Each capsule contain 100 mg. How
many capsules should the nurse administer?
20.0.5 tablet - ANSWER A client who has a sinus infection is receiving a
prescription for amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium (Augmentin) 250 mg PO
q 8 hours. The available form is 500 mg amoxicillin/125mg clavulanate
tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer for each dose?
21.72 ml - ANSWER The healthcare provider prescribes acetaminophen elixir
(Tylenol elixir) 600 mg PO q 6 hours for an adult client experiencing pain
associated with maxillofacial surgery. The bottle is labeled 500 mg/15 ml.
How many ml will the patient receive in a 24 hour period?
22.1.5 ml - ANSWER A client who has AIDS is receiving octreotide
(Sandostatin) 1,500 mcg by subcutaneous injection every day for symptoms
of diarrhea. Octreotide is available for injection in 1 mg/mL vials. How
many mL should the nurse administer? Round to nearest tenth
23.106 mg/dose - ANSWER A client is receiving sodium (Dantrium) PO for
malignant hyperthermia. The maximum safe dose is 8 mg/kg/day in 4
1. 83.3 mcg/kg/min - ANSWER A client who weighs 220 pounds is receiving
an IV infusion of esmolol hydrochloride (Brevibloc) at 50 ml/hr. The IV
solution is labeled with the concentration of Breviblock 10 mg/ml. How
many mcg/kg/minute is the client receiving? (
2. 50 ml - ANSWER The nurse is preparing the change of shift report for a
client who has a 275 ml secondary infusion that started 3 hours ago at a rate
of 75 ml/hr via an infusion pump. The nurse should report that how many
mL remain to be infused by the oncoming nurse? (Enter numeric value only.
If rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth).
3. 0.5 ml - ANSWER A male client receives a prescription for Phenergan 12.5
mg IV to prevent postoperative nausea after an inguinal hernia repair. The
medication is available in 25 mg/ml. How many ml should the nurse
administer?
4. 144 ml - ANSWER A client with a gastrostomy tube (GT) receives a
prescription for a 480 ml bolus feeding of Glucerna 70% enteral formula.
The nurse should dilute the full strength formula with how many ml of
water?
5. 0.3 ml - ANSWER The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis B
vaccine, Recombinant (Energix-B) 2.5 mcg IM to a school aged child. The
vaccine is labeled, 10 mcg/ml. How many ml should the nurse administer?
(Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to the nearest
tenth).
,6. 2 tablets - ANSWER A client's daily PO prescription for ariprazole
(Abilify) is increased from 15 mg to 45 mg. The medication is available in
15 mg tablets, and the client already received one tablet today. How many
additional tablets should the nurse administer so the client receives the total
newly prescribed dose for the day.
7. 150 ml/hr - ANSWER The nurse is administering 600 ml of IV solution to
be infused over 4 hours. How many ml/hour should the nurse program the
infusion pump?
8. 3 ml - ANSWER The nurse is preparing to administer 0.75 mg of Bumex
IV. The medication is available in a vial labeled 1 mg/4ml. How many ml of
medication should the nurse administer?
9. 3.5 tablets - ANSWER A client with hypertension receive a prescription for
Cartel 7 mg PO daily. The drug is available in 2 mg scored tablets. How
many tablets should the nurse administer?
10.4.8 ml - ANSWER The healthcare provider prescribes Bactrim DS oral
suspension 240 mg BID for a child with bronchitis. The Bactrim bottle is
labeled 250 mg/5ml. How many ml should the nurse administer? (if
rounding is required, round to the nearest tenth).
11.140 mg/dose - ANSWER The healthcare provider prescribes Diamox 800
mg/m2/day divided into 4 doses. The nurse calculates the childs body
surface area (BSA) as 0.7m2. How many mg should the child receive per
dose?
12.200 ml - ANSWER A loading dose of acetylcysteine (Mucomyst) 10 g,
which is available as a 20% solution (200 mg acetylcysteine per ml) is
prescribed by nasogastric tube for a client with acetaminophen toxicity. How
, many ml of diluent should be added to the medication to obtain 1:4
concentration? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to
the nearest tenth).
13.2 tablets - ANSWER A child who weighs 62 pounds receives a prescription
for atovaquone with proguanil (Malarone Pediatric) 125 mg/50mg PO daily.
A drug reference states that children 11 - 20 kg should receive 1 pediatric
tablet daily, 21 - 30 kg should receive 2 pediatric tablets daily, 31 - 40 kg
should receive 3 pediatric tablets daily, and > 40 kg should receive 1 adult
tablet daily with food. The drug is available as atovaquone 62.5mg/proguanil
25 mg pediatric tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer?
14.6 tablets - ANSWER A client receives a prescription for azithromycin
(Zithromax) 500 mg PO on day 1, then 250 mg on days 2-5. Azithromycin is
available in 250 mg scored tablets. How many tablets should pharmacy send
to the unit to cover the five day period the patient is on the medication?
15.115 ml/hr - ANSWER A client who is scheduled for a kidney transplant
receives a prescription for basiliximab (Simulect) 20 mg IV 2 hours prior to
surgery. The medication is available in a 20 mg vial that is reconstituted by
adding 7.5 ml sterile water for injection, and administered in a 50 ml bag of
normal saline over 30 minutes. The nurse should program the infusion pump
to deliver how many ml per hour?
16.20 mU/min - ANSWER The nurse notes that a client is receiving an
oxytocin (Pitocin) infusion via a pump that is programmed to deliver 40
ml/hr. The available solution is Ringers Lactated 1000 ml with Pitocin 30
units. How many milliunits/minute is the client receiving?
17.30 ml/hr - ANSWER A client is receiving Heparin Sodium 15,000 units in
5% Dextrose injection 500 ml IV at 1000 unit/hour per protocol for acute
coronary syndrome (ACS). The client's partial thromboplastin (PTT) is 76
, seconds. Based on ACS protocol, the infusion should be decreased by 100
units/hour for a PTT between 71 to 80 seconds. The nurse should program
the pump to deliver how many ml/hour?
18.9 ml/hr - ANSWER The healthcare provider prescribes oxytocin (Pitocin)
1.5 milliunits/minute for a client in labor. One liter of Ringers Lactate with
10 units of oxytocin (Pitocin) is infusing. The nurse should program the
infusion pump at how many ml/hour?
19.3 capsules - ANSWER Docusate sodium (Colace) 300 mg is prescribed for
a client who has frequent constipation. Each capsule contain 100 mg. How
many capsules should the nurse administer?
20.0.5 tablet - ANSWER A client who has a sinus infection is receiving a
prescription for amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium (Augmentin) 250 mg PO
q 8 hours. The available form is 500 mg amoxicillin/125mg clavulanate
tablets. How many tablets should the nurse administer for each dose?
21.72 ml - ANSWER The healthcare provider prescribes acetaminophen elixir
(Tylenol elixir) 600 mg PO q 6 hours for an adult client experiencing pain
associated with maxillofacial surgery. The bottle is labeled 500 mg/15 ml.
How many ml will the patient receive in a 24 hour period?
22.1.5 ml - ANSWER A client who has AIDS is receiving octreotide
(Sandostatin) 1,500 mcg by subcutaneous injection every day for symptoms
of diarrhea. Octreotide is available for injection in 1 mg/mL vials. How
many mL should the nurse administer? Round to nearest tenth
23.106 mg/dose - ANSWER A client is receiving sodium (Dantrium) PO for
malignant hyperthermia. The maximum safe dose is 8 mg/kg/day in 4
