Tablet Troubles
A provider orders 0.75 g of medication.
Available tablets are 250 mg.
How many tablets should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 3 tablets
Solution:
0.75 g = 750 mg
750 ÷ 250 = 3 tablets
The provider orders Ketorolac 30 mg IM.
The vial is labeled 60 mg per 2 mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer?
1 mL
Use desired over available
desired ÷ available x quantity (mL)
30/60 x 2 = 1 mL
A patient weighs 176 lb.
The medication order is 4 mg/kg/day.
What is the total daily dose?
✅ Answer: 320 mg
Solution
Convert pounds → kg
176 ÷ 2.2 = 80 kg
80 × 4 = 320 mg
The provider orders Morphine 6 mg IV.
The vial reads 10 mg/mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 0.6 mL
Solution
6 ÷ 10 = 0.6 mL
An IV infusion of 1000 mL is ordered over 8 hours.
Drop factor = 20 gtt/mL
What is the drip rate?
✅ Answer: 42 gtt/min
Solution (using Drip Rate Formula)
Convert to minutes: 8 hours = 480 minutes
Drip Rate Formula:
Volume x Drop Factor ÷ time in min = flow rate
(1000 × 20) ÷ 480 = 41.7
Round to the nearest whole # → 42 gtt/min
The provider orders 375 mg PO.
Available tablets are 125 mg each.
How many tablets should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 3 tablets
Solution
375 ÷ 125 = 3 tablets
A medication order reads Ceftriaxone 750 mg IM.
The vial reads 1 g per 2 mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 1.5 mL
Solution
1 g = 1000 mg
1000 mg in every 2 mL
750 mg → ? use desired over available x quantity
(750 ÷ 1000) × 2
= 1.5 mL
A patient weighs 154 lb.
The medication order is 3 mg/kg.
What dose should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 210 mg
Solution
Convert lb → kg
154 ÷ 2.2 = 70 kg
70 × 3 = 210 mg
A provider ordered 750 mL of IV D5W over 5 hours.
What rate should the nurse program the IV pump?
✅ Answer: 150 mL/hr
Solution
750 ÷ 5 = 150 mL/hr
A medication is scheduled every 6 hours.
If the first dose was given at 0900, what time will the next dose be administered?
1500 hrs
Solution
0900 + 6 hours = 1500
(when doing this math on the calculator include the trailing zeros in the hour quantity so you would literally type in 0900 + 0600 = 1500
AND that is your military time of when to give next dose.)
A medication order reads 250 mcg.
Available dose: 0.5 mg tablet
How many tablets should be administered?
✅ Answer: 0.5 tablet
Solution
0.5 mg = 500 mcg
250 ÷ 500 = 0.5 tablet
The provider orders Morphine 8 mg IV push over 5 min
The vial is labeled 10 mg/mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 0.8 mL
Solution
Desired ÷ Have
8 ÷ 10 = 0.8 mL
A patient weighs 66 lb.
The provider orders 8 mg/kg/day.
What is the total daily dose?
✅ Answer: 240 mg
Solution
66 ÷ 2.2 = 30 kg
30 × 8 = 240 mg
A provider ordered 1200 mL of IV normal saline over 10 hours.
What is the IV pump rate?
✅ Answer: 120 mL/hr
Solution
1200 ÷ 10
= 120 mL/hr
Convert 0.25 mg to mcg
Answer: 250 mcg
A provider orders 1.25 g of an antibiotic PO.
Available tablets are 500 mg each.
How many tablets should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 2.5 tablets
Solution
Convert grams to mg:
1.25 g = 1250 mg
1250 ÷ 500 = 2.5 tablets
The provider orders Heparin 7,500 units subcutaneous.
Available concentration: 10,000 units/mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 0.75 mL
Solution
7500 ÷ 10000
= 0.75 mL
A patient weighs 198 lb.
The medication order is 2 mg/kg.
What dose should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 180 mg
Solution
198 ÷ 2.2 = 90 kg
90 × 2 = 180 mg
Order: Morphine 4 mg IV push over 5 min
Available: 8 mg/mL
How many mL should be administered?
0.5 mL
Solution
Use Desired over Available to solve
4 ÷ 8 = 0.5 mL
An IV of 500 mL is ordered over 4 hours.
Drop factor: 15 gtt/mL
What is the drip rate?
✅ Answer: 31 gtt/min
Solution
Convert hours to minutes
4 hours = 240 minutes
(500 × 15) ÷ 240 = 31.25
Rounded to the nearest whole # → 31 gtt/min
A medication order reads Digoxin 0.125 mg PO.
Available tablets are 250 mcg.
How many tablets should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 0.5 tablet
Solution
Convert mg → mcg
0.125 mg = 125 mcg (move decimal to right 3 spaces or multiply by 1000
125 ÷ 250 = 0.5 tablet
The provider orders Heparin 6,000 units subcutaneous.
The vial is labeled 10,000 units/mL.
How many mL should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 0.6 mL
Solution
6000 ÷ 10000 = 0.6 mL
A child weighs 44 lb.
The provider orders 5 mg/kg.
What dose should the nurse administer?
✅ Answer: 100 mg
Solution
44 ÷ 2.2 = 20 kg
20 × 5 = 100 mg
A patient receives 120 mL over 30 minutes.
What was the IV pump rate?
✅ Answer: 240 mL/hr
Solution
30 minutes = 0.5 hour
120 ÷ 0.5 = 240 mL/hr
A provider orders Cefazolin 1.5 g IV.
The medication is supplied as 500 mg per vial.
How many vials should the nurse prepare?
✅ Answer: 3 vials
Solution
Convert grams to mg:
1.5 g = 1500 mg
1500 ÷ 500 = 3 vials