ATI Dosage Calculation RN Fundamentals
Proctored Actual exam Assessment 3.2 –
Questions and Answers
Q001:
Problem Type: Liquid Oral Medication
Clinical Scenario: A patient is prescribed 250 mg of amoxicillin PO q8h. The suspension
on hand is 400 mg/5 mL.
Given: Order: 250 mg; Available: 400 mg/5 mL
Question: How many mL should the nurse administer per dose? Round to the nearest
0.5 mL.
(Correct Numeric Answer: 3 mL)
Work & Rationale:
● Setup: (Desired / Have) × Volume = (250 mg / 400 mg) × 5 mL
● Calculation: 0.625 × 5 = 3.125 mL → round to 3 mL
● Safety Check: Standard pediatric-safe volume; verify no allergy.
Q002:
Problem Type: Metric Conversion
Clinical Scenario: A patient is prescribed 0.5 g PO of a medication. The capsules come
in 250 mg each.
Given: Order: 0.5 g; Available: 250 mg/capsule
Question: How many capsules should the nurse give?
,(Correct Numeric Answer: 2 capsules)
Work & Rationale:
● Setup: 0.5 g × 1000 = 500 mg; 500 mg / 250 mg = 2 capsules
● Calculation: 2 capsules
● Safety Check: Double-check gram-to-milligram conversion.
Q003:
Problem Type: IM Injection
Clinical Scenario: A patient is prescribed haloperidol 3 mg IM stat. The vial reads 5
mg/mL.
Given: Order: 3 mg; Available: 5 mg/mL
Question: How many mL should be drawn up? Round to the nearest 0.1 mL.
(Correct Numeric Answer: 0.6 mL)
Work & Rationale:
● Setup: 3 mg / 5 mg × 1 mL = 0.6 mL
● Calculation: 0.6 mL
● Safety Check: Do not exceed 3 mL per IM site; monitor for EPS.
Q004:
Problem Type: Weight-Based Dose
Clinical Scenario: A child weighs 15 kg and is prescribed acetaminophen 15 mg/kg PO
q6h. The suspension is 160 mg/5 mL.
Given: Weight: 15 kg; Order: 15 mg/kg; Available: 160 mg/5 mL
Question: How many mL per dose? Round to nearest 0.5 mL.
(Correct Numeric Answer: 7 mL)
, Work & Rationale:
● Setup: 15 kg × 15 mg = 225 mg; (225 mg / 160 mg) × 5 mL = 7.03 mL → 7 mL
● Calculation: 7 mL
● Safety Check: Dose within 75 mg/kg/day limit; no liver impairment.
Q005:
Problem Type: IV Drip Rate (gtt/min)
Clinical Scenario: An IV of 1000 mL NS is to run over 8 h with a macrodrop set of 15
gtt/mL.
Given: Volume: 1000 mL; Time: 8 h; Drop factor: 15 gtt/mL
Question: Calculate gtt/min. Round to nearest whole drop.
(Correct Numeric Answer: 31 gtt/min)
Work & Rationale:
● Setup: (1000 mL × 15 gtt/mL) / (8 × 60 min) = = 31.25 → 31 gtt/min
● Calculation: 31 gtt/min
● Safety Check: Monitor for infiltration; adjust if IV pump used.
Q006:
Problem Type: IV Pump Rate (mL/hr)
Clinical Scenario: An order reads: 500 mL D5W to infuse over 5 h.
Given: Volume: 500 mL; Time: 5 h
Question: Set the pump at how many mL/hr?
(Correct Numeric Answer: 100 mL/hr)
Work & Rationale:
Proctored Actual exam Assessment 3.2 –
Questions and Answers
Q001:
Problem Type: Liquid Oral Medication
Clinical Scenario: A patient is prescribed 250 mg of amoxicillin PO q8h. The suspension
on hand is 400 mg/5 mL.
Given: Order: 250 mg; Available: 400 mg/5 mL
Question: How many mL should the nurse administer per dose? Round to the nearest
0.5 mL.
(Correct Numeric Answer: 3 mL)
Work & Rationale:
● Setup: (Desired / Have) × Volume = (250 mg / 400 mg) × 5 mL
● Calculation: 0.625 × 5 = 3.125 mL → round to 3 mL
● Safety Check: Standard pediatric-safe volume; verify no allergy.
Q002:
Problem Type: Metric Conversion
Clinical Scenario: A patient is prescribed 0.5 g PO of a medication. The capsules come
in 250 mg each.
Given: Order: 0.5 g; Available: 250 mg/capsule
Question: How many capsules should the nurse give?
,(Correct Numeric Answer: 2 capsules)
Work & Rationale:
● Setup: 0.5 g × 1000 = 500 mg; 500 mg / 250 mg = 2 capsules
● Calculation: 2 capsules
● Safety Check: Double-check gram-to-milligram conversion.
Q003:
Problem Type: IM Injection
Clinical Scenario: A patient is prescribed haloperidol 3 mg IM stat. The vial reads 5
mg/mL.
Given: Order: 3 mg; Available: 5 mg/mL
Question: How many mL should be drawn up? Round to the nearest 0.1 mL.
(Correct Numeric Answer: 0.6 mL)
Work & Rationale:
● Setup: 3 mg / 5 mg × 1 mL = 0.6 mL
● Calculation: 0.6 mL
● Safety Check: Do not exceed 3 mL per IM site; monitor for EPS.
Q004:
Problem Type: Weight-Based Dose
Clinical Scenario: A child weighs 15 kg and is prescribed acetaminophen 15 mg/kg PO
q6h. The suspension is 160 mg/5 mL.
Given: Weight: 15 kg; Order: 15 mg/kg; Available: 160 mg/5 mL
Question: How many mL per dose? Round to nearest 0.5 mL.
(Correct Numeric Answer: 7 mL)
, Work & Rationale:
● Setup: 15 kg × 15 mg = 225 mg; (225 mg / 160 mg) × 5 mL = 7.03 mL → 7 mL
● Calculation: 7 mL
● Safety Check: Dose within 75 mg/kg/day limit; no liver impairment.
Q005:
Problem Type: IV Drip Rate (gtt/min)
Clinical Scenario: An IV of 1000 mL NS is to run over 8 h with a macrodrop set of 15
gtt/mL.
Given: Volume: 1000 mL; Time: 8 h; Drop factor: 15 gtt/mL
Question: Calculate gtt/min. Round to nearest whole drop.
(Correct Numeric Answer: 31 gtt/min)
Work & Rationale:
● Setup: (1000 mL × 15 gtt/mL) / (8 × 60 min) = = 31.25 → 31 gtt/min
● Calculation: 31 gtt/min
● Safety Check: Monitor for infiltration; adjust if IV pump used.
Q006:
Problem Type: IV Pump Rate (mL/hr)
Clinical Scenario: An order reads: 500 mL D5W to infuse over 5 h.
Given: Volume: 500 mL; Time: 5 h
Question: Set the pump at how many mL/hr?
(Correct Numeric Answer: 100 mL/hr)
Work & Rationale:
