HESI Dosage Calculations
Practice Exam Exam Study Guide
– Practice Questions with Verified
Answers. GRADED A+. Latest
2026/2027 Update
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.) - 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.
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.) - 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.
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.) -
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.
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.) - 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.
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.) - 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.
The nurse is preparing the change-of-shift report for a client who has a 265 ml
secondary infusion that was started 2 hours ago at a rate of 85 ml/hour via an
infusion pump. The nurse should report that how many ml remain to be
infused by the on-coming nurse? (Enter numeric value only.) - Answer✔✔-95
85 ml x 2 hours = 170 ml has infused. 265 ml (total amount to be infused) - 170
ml (amount infused) = 95 ml remain to be infused.
A male client receives a prescription for ondansetron hydrochloride (Zofran) 4
mg IV to prevent postoperative nausea after an inguinal hernia repair. The
medication is available in 2 mg/ml. How many ml should the nurse administer?
(Enter numeric value only.) - Answer✔✔-2
Use ratio and proportion, 4 mg : X ml = 2 mg : 1 ml 2X = 4 X = 2
The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis B Vaccine, Recombinant (Energix-
B) 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). - Answer✔✔-1 or 0.5
Use ratio and proportion, 5 mcg : X ml :: 10 mcg : 1ml
10X = 5 X = 0.5 ml
A client's daily PO prescription for aripiprazole (Abilify) is increased from 15 mg
to 30 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?
(Enter numeric value only.) - Answer✔✔-1
30 mg (total dose) - 15 mg (dose already administered) = 15 mg that still needs
to be administered. Using the Desired/Have formula: 15 mg/15 mg = 1 tablet
At the end of the shift, the nurse is recording the fluid balance for a client
receiving a continuous gastrostomy tube (GT) feeding. Based on the client's
records, how many ml should the nurse record for the total fluid balance
(intake - output) for the shift that started at 0700 and ended at 1900? (Enter
numeric value only.) (Click on each image asset for additional information.) -
Answer✔✔-695
The tube feeding is administered at 75 ml/hour for 11 hours (0700 - 1800) and
then turned off for one hour because the residual is greater than 200 ml. 11
hours x 75 ml/hr = 825 ml. Three doses of 20 ml of medication are
administered, with 10 ml of water used to flush the GT before and after each
dose. 20 ml x 3 doses = 60 ml; 10 ml (flush) x 2 x 3 doses = 60 ml; so 825 ml +
60 ml + 60 ml = 945 ml. 250 ml of residual is removed and not replaced. 945 ml
- 250 ml = 695 ml total fluid balance (Intake - output).
The nurse is administering a 250 milliliter (ml) intravenous solution to be
infused over 2 hours. How many ml/hour should the nurse program the
infusion pump? (Enter numeric value only.) - Answer✔✔-125
250 ml : 2 hours = X ml : 1 hour 250 = 2X X = 250 divided by 2 = 125 ml/hr
Practice Exam Exam Study Guide
– Practice Questions with Verified
Answers. GRADED A+. Latest
2026/2027 Update
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.) - 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.
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.) - 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.
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.) -
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.
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.) - 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.
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.) - 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.
The nurse is preparing the change-of-shift report for a client who has a 265 ml
secondary infusion that was started 2 hours ago at a rate of 85 ml/hour via an
infusion pump. The nurse should report that how many ml remain to be
infused by the on-coming nurse? (Enter numeric value only.) - Answer✔✔-95
85 ml x 2 hours = 170 ml has infused. 265 ml (total amount to be infused) - 170
ml (amount infused) = 95 ml remain to be infused.
A male client receives a prescription for ondansetron hydrochloride (Zofran) 4
mg IV to prevent postoperative nausea after an inguinal hernia repair. The
medication is available in 2 mg/ml. How many ml should the nurse administer?
(Enter numeric value only.) - Answer✔✔-2
Use ratio and proportion, 4 mg : X ml = 2 mg : 1 ml 2X = 4 X = 2
The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis B Vaccine, Recombinant (Energix-
B) 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). - Answer✔✔-1 or 0.5
Use ratio and proportion, 5 mcg : X ml :: 10 mcg : 1ml
10X = 5 X = 0.5 ml
A client's daily PO prescription for aripiprazole (Abilify) is increased from 15 mg
to 30 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?
(Enter numeric value only.) - Answer✔✔-1
30 mg (total dose) - 15 mg (dose already administered) = 15 mg that still needs
to be administered. Using the Desired/Have formula: 15 mg/15 mg = 1 tablet
At the end of the shift, the nurse is recording the fluid balance for a client
receiving a continuous gastrostomy tube (GT) feeding. Based on the client's
records, how many ml should the nurse record for the total fluid balance
(intake - output) for the shift that started at 0700 and ended at 1900? (Enter
numeric value only.) (Click on each image asset for additional information.) -
Answer✔✔-695
The tube feeding is administered at 75 ml/hour for 11 hours (0700 - 1800) and
then turned off for one hour because the residual is greater than 200 ml. 11
hours x 75 ml/hr = 825 ml. Three doses of 20 ml of medication are
administered, with 10 ml of water used to flush the GT before and after each
dose. 20 ml x 3 doses = 60 ml; 10 ml (flush) x 2 x 3 doses = 60 ml; so 825 ml +
60 ml + 60 ml = 945 ml. 250 ml of residual is removed and not replaced. 945 ml
- 250 ml = 695 ml total fluid balance (Intake - output).
The nurse is administering a 250 milliliter (ml) intravenous solution to be
infused over 2 hours. How many ml/hour should the nurse program the
infusion pump? (Enter numeric value only.) - Answer✔✔-125
250 ml : 2 hours = X ml : 1 hour 250 = 2X X = 250 divided by 2 = 125 ml/hr
