Dosage Calculation Practice Questions

Dosage Calculation Practice Questions: Sharpen Your Skills

Dosage calculations are a fundamental skill for healthcare professionals, ensuring patients receive the correct amount of medication. Mastering this skill is crucial for patient safety and effective treatment. This resource provides practice questions and solutions to help you solidify your understanding of dosage calculations.

Understanding the Basics

Before diving into the practice questions, let’s review some key concepts:

• Desired Dose: The amount of medication the patient needs.
• Available Dose: The concentration of the medication as it comes in the container (e.g., mg/mL).
• Dosage Forms: The form the medication comes in (e.g., tablets, capsules, liquids).
• Route of Administration: How the medication is given (e.g., oral, intravenous, intramuscular).

Practice Questions

Here are some practice questions to test your dosage calculation skills. Work through the problems and then check your answers against the provided solutions.

Question 1

A doctor orders 500 mg of amoxicillin for a patient. The available dose is 250 mg/tablet. How many tablets should the patient take?

Question 2

A patient needs 100 mg of morphine sulfate intravenously. The medication is available in a vial containing 50 mg/mL. How many milliliters should be administered?

Question 3

A child is prescribed 20 mg/kg of acetaminophen. The child weighs 25 kg. The available dose is 160 mg/5 mL. How many milliliters should be given to the child?

Solutions

Solution 1

Desired Dose: 500 mg

Available Dose: 250 mg/tablet

Number of tablets = Desired Dose / Available Dose = 500 mg / 250 mg/tablet = 2 tablets

Solution 2

Desired Dose: 100 mg

Available Dose: 50 mg/mL

Volume to administer = Desired Dose / Available Dose = 100 mg / 50 mg/mL = 2 mL

Solution 3

Desired Dose: 20 mg/kg x 25 kg = 500 mg

Available Dose: 160 mg/5 mL

Volume to administer = (Desired Dose / Available Dose) x 5 mL = (500 mg / 160 mg/5 mL) x 5 mL = 15.625 mL

**Note:** In real-life scenarios, you would round the dosage to the nearest appropriate unit (e.g., 15.6 mL).

Additional Tips

• Double-check your calculations: Medication errors can have serious consequences. Always verify your calculations before administering any medication.
• Use a dosage calculation formula: There are various formulas available to help you calculate dosages. Familiarize yourself with one that you find easy to use.
• Consider patient factors: Dosage calculations should take into account factors such as age, weight, and medical history.
• Seek guidance if needed: If you are unsure about a dosage calculation, always consult with a pharmacist or another qualified healthcare professional.

By practicing dosage calculations regularly and following these tips, you can ensure accurate and safe medication administration.