NCLEX dosage calculation nclex review.

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This Dosage Calculation NCLEX® Review aims to provide readers with an understanding of this topic in order to prepare nurses for the NCLEX® exam, as well as their daily responsibilities. While not conclusive, this review provides directions for how to perform some of the most common types of dosage calculations. Key Concepts for Calculation NCLEX® Review The following concepts will be discussed in this article. • Units of Measurement and Abbreviations for Dosage Calculation NCLEX® Review • Flow Rate Dosage Calculations NCLEX® Review • Weight Based Dosage Calculation NCLEX® Review • Renal Impairment Dosage Calculation NCLEX® Review • Body Surface Area Dosage Calculation NCLEX® Review • Conclusion to Dosage Calculation NCLEX® Review • Practice Questions Units of Measurement and Abbreviations for Dosage Calculation NCLEX® Review Understanding the units of measurement and knowing how to convert between them is the foundation to being able to perform dosage calculations. The following are ways to measure three different units used in calculations; volume, weight, and height. Volume 1 gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 16 cups = 128 fluid ounces 1 L = 1000 mL 1 mL = 20 gtts 1 tsp = 5 mL 1 tbsp = 15 mL 1 fl oz = 30 mL 1 cup = 250 mL 1 pt = 500 mL 1 qt = 950 mL 1 gallon = 3.8 L = 3800 mL Mass US Standard Units Metric Ounce (oz) Pound (lb) Milligram (mg) Gram (g) Kilogram (kg) 1 lb = 16 oz 1 g = 1000 mg 1 kg = 1000 g 1 kg = 2.2 lb Length US Standard Units Metric Inch Foot Yard Mile Millimeter Centimeter Meter Kilometer (in) (ft) (yd) (mi) (mm) (cm) (m) (km) 1 ft = 12 in 1 yd = 3 ft 1 mi = 1760 yd = 5280 ft 1 cm = 10 mm 1 m = 100 cm 1 km = 1000 m 1 in = 2.54 cm Flow Rate Dosage Calculations NCLEX® Review IV infusions are a mainstay in the nursing world, and so understanding how to use them to deliver an appropriate dose is essential. Because IV’s deliver a certain dose (mg) of liquid (ml) over time (t), we must take these three factors into consideration for this type of calculation. Consider this scenario; a client requires a 500mg dose of a medication given over a 1 hour infusion. The medication on hand is available in a 1000mg/1L solution. What would the appropriate flow rate be to deliver the correct amount of medication to the client? First, let’s review what we already know. We know that the infusion must last 1 hour, which equals 60 minutes. We also know that the client requires a 500mg dose, and that the drug on have comes is a 1000mg/1L formulation. Let’s figure out the volume of solution the client would need in order to get the correct dose by setting up a ratio: (dose available) / (volume available) = (dose desired) / volume desired) (1000mg) / (1 L) = (500mg) / (? L) First we cross multiply the numerator and the denominator (500 x 1 = 500). Next, we divide by the remaining numerator (500 / 1000 = 0.5). We now know that the client requires 0.5 L to receive the correct dose, but let’s take this a step further and convert this answer to mL. 1 L = 1000 mL…. so that means 0.5 L = 500 mL Lastly, we need to figure out the amount of volume that needs to be delivered per minute in order for the full dose to be delivered in 1 hour. We do this by simply dividing the volume by the number of minutes in an hour (60). 500 mL / 60 min = 8.33 mL per minute. For simplicity, let’s round this to 8 mL per minute. And there’s our answer! In order for the client to receive 500mg of an IV solution over 1 hour using a formulation of 1000mg / 1L, we need to deliver approximately 8 mL per minute. Weight Based Dosage Calculation NCLEX® Review Because people come in all shapes and sizes, not everyone requires the same dose of medication. To account for this, many medications are dosed using the client’s weight. (usually in kg). Consider this scenario: The recommended dosage of a drug is 2mg/kg. What does should a client weighing 195lbs receive is the medication only comes in 25mg tablets? To answer this question, we must first convert pounds to kilograms. To do this, we simply divide by the conversion factor 2.2 195 / 2.2 = 88.6kg Since we know the recommended dose is 2 mg for every 1 kg, all that’s left to do it multiply our two numbers. 2 x 88.6 = 177.2 mg Because the medication only comes in 25mg tablets, we can round this answer down to 175mg, which is 7 tablets. Body Surface Area Dosage Calculation NCLEX® Review