Drug Dosage Calculations NCLEX Exam 1

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1. Doctor’s Order: Tylenol supp 1 g pr q 6 hr prn temp > 101; Available: Tylenol supp 325 mg (scored). How many supp will you administer?

2 supp
1 supp
3 supp
5 supp

2. Doctor’s Order: Nafcillin 500 mg po pc; Available: Nafcillin 1 gm tab (scored). How many tab will you administer per day?

2.5 tabs
2 tabs
1.5 tabs
1 tab

3. Doctor’s Order: Synthroid 75 mcg po daily; Available: Synthroid 0.15 mg tab (scored). How many tab will you administer?

1 tab
0.5 tab
2 tabs
1.5 tabs

4. Doctor’s Order: Diuril 1.8 mg/kg po tid; Available: Diuril 12.5 mg caps. How many cap will you administer for each dose to a 31 lb child?

2 caps
2.5 caps
3 caps
1.5 caps

5. Doctor’s Order: Cleocin Oral Susp 600 mg po qid; Directions for mixing: Add 100 mL of water and shake vigorously. Each 2.5 mL will contain 100 mg of Cleocin. How many tsp of Cleocin will you administer?

3 tsp
5 tsp
3.5 tsp
1 tsp

6. Doctor’s Order: Sulfasalazine Oral Susp 500 mg q 6 hr; Directions for mixing: Add 125 mL of water and shake well. Each tbsp will yield 1.5 g of Sulfasalazine. How many mL will you give?

5 ml
3 ml
4 ml
2 ml

7. Your patient has had the following intake: 2 ½ cups of coffee (240 mL/cup), 11.5 oz of grape juice, ¾ qt of milk, 320 mL of diet coke, 1 ¼ L of D5W IV and 2 oz of grits. What will you record as the total intake in mL for this patient?

2,325 ml
3,265 ml
3,325 ml
2,235 ml

8. Your patient has had the following intake: 8 oz glasses of iced tea, 4 oz cartons of grape juice, ¾ pt of ice cream, 32 oz of juice, 1 ½ L of D5W IV and 6 oz of cottage cheese. What will you record as the total intake in mL for this patient?

3,357 ml
3,375 ml
3,915 ml
3,195 ml

9. Doctor’s Order: Kantamycin 7.5 mg/kg IM q 12 hr; Available: Kantamycin 0.35 Gm/mL. How many mL will you administer for each dose to a 157 lb patient?

2 ml
1 ml
2.5 ml
1.5 ml

10. Doctor’s Order: Heparin 7,855 units Sub Q bid; Available: Heparin 10,000 units per ml. How many mL will you administer?

0.79 ml
1.79 ml
0.17 ml
1.17 ml

11. Doctor’s Order: Demerol 50 mg IVP q 6 hr prn pain; Available: Demerol 75 mg/ 1.3mL. How many mL will you administer?

0.87 ml
1.87 ml
2 ml
2.87 ml

12. Doctor’s Order: Streptomycin 1.75 mg/ lb IM q 12 hr; Available: Streptomycin 0.35 g / 2.3 mL. How many mL will you administer a day to a 59 Kg patient?

1.5 ml
2 ml
2.5 ml
3 ml

13. Doctor’s Order: Bumex 0.8 mg IV bolus bid; Reconstitution instructions: Constitute to 1000 micrograms/3.1 mL with 4.8mL of 5% Dextrose Water for Injection. How many mL will you administer?

2 ml
3.5 ml
3 ml
2.5 ml

14. Doctor’s Order: Tazidime 0.3 g IM tid; Reconstitution instructions: For IM solution add 1.5 mL of diluent. Shake to dissolve. Provides an approximate volume of 1.8 mL (280 mg/mL). How many mL will you give?

1.9 ml
2 ml
3 ml
1.1 ml

15. Doctor’s Order: Infuse 50 mg of Amphotericin B in 250 mL NS over 4 hr 15 min; Drop factor: 12gtt/mL. What flow rate (mL/hr) will you set on the IV infusion pump?

11.8 ml/hr
58.8 ml/hr
14.1 ml/hr
60.2 ml/hr

16. Doctor’s Order: 1 ½ L of NS to be infused over 7 hours; Drop factor: 15 gtt/mL. What flow rate (mL/hr) will you set on the IV infusion pump?

53.6 ml/hr
214.3 ml/hr
35.7 ml/hr
142.9 ml/hr

17. Doctor’s Order: Mandol 300 mg in 50 mL of D5W to infuse IVPB 15 minutes; Drop factor: 10 gtt/mL. How many mL/hr will you set on the IV infusion pump?

200 ml/hr
87.5 ml/hr
3.3 ml/hr
50 ml/hr

18. Doctor’s Order: Infuse 1200 mL of 0.45% Normal Saline at 125 mL/hr; Drop Factor: 12gtt/min. How many gtt/min will you regulate the IV?

2 gtt/min
12 gtt/min
25 gtt/min
27 gtt/min

19. Doctor’s Order: Rocephin 0.5 grams in 250 mL of D5W to infuse IVPB 45 minutes; Drop Factor: 12gtt/min. How many gtt/ min will you regulate the IVPB?

6 gtt/min
30 gtt/min
67 gtt/min
87 gtt/min

20. Doctor’s Order: ¼ L of D5W to infuse over 2 hr 45 min; Drop factor: 60 gtt/mL. How many gtt/min will you regulate the IV?

91 gtt/min
96 gtt/min
125 gtt/min
142 gtt/min

21. Doctor’s Order: Minipress 3000 mcg po ac; Available: Minipress tabs 2 mg (scored). How many tab will you administer in 24 hr?

1.5 tabs
3 tabs
4.5 tabs
5 tabs

22. Doctor’s Order: Dilantin 0.75 gm po stat; Available: Dilantin 250 mg cap. How many cap will you administer?

1 cap
2 caps
3 caps
4 caps

23. Doctor’s Order: Digoxin 0.25 mg po daily; Available: Digoxin 125 mcg tabs (scored). How many tab will you administer for this dose?

1 tabs
2 tabs
3 tabs
4 tabs

24. Doctor’s Order: Klotrix 0.35 mEq/ lb po dissolved in 6 oz of oj at 8 am; Available: Klotrix 8 mEq/mL. How many mL of Klotrix will you add to the oj for a 20.5 Kg patient?

0.5 ml
1 ml
2 ml
2.5 ml

25. Doctor’s Order: Megace Oral Suspension 160 mg po bid; Directions for mixing: Add 100 mL of water and shake vigorously. Each 0.5 mL will contain 10.7 mg of Megace. How many tbsp of Megace will you administer?

0.5 tbsp
2.5 tbsp
3.5 tbsp
5 tbsp

26. Doctor’s Order: Vistaril Oral Susp 10 mg q 4 hr prn anxiety; Directions for mixing: Add 125 mL of water and shake well. Each tsp will yield 15 mg of Vistaril. How many mL will you give?

1 ml
1.3 ml
3 ml
3.3 ml

27. Your patient had the following intake: 2 1/2 bowls of broth (180 mL/bowl), 1 can of tomato juice (4.5 oz/can ), 4 oz of cottage cheese, 1 ¾ L of NS IV and ½ pt of ice cream. What will you record as the total intake in mL for this patient?

2,858 ml
2,585 ml
2,705 ml
2,505 ml

28. Your patient has had the following intake: ½ cup of hot tea (240 mL/cup), 3/4 container of grapefruit juice (4 oz/container), 3/4 qt of milk, 1 pt of water, 125 mL of D5W IV x 8 hr and 2 oz of fruit cocktail. What will you record as the total intake in mL for this patient?

2,460 ml
2,640 ml
2,520 ml
2,250 ml

29. Doctor’s Order: Tobramycin 1.25mg/Kg IM q 12 hr; Available: Tobramycin 0.2 g/mL. How many mL will you administer to a 183 lb patient for each dose?

0.52 ml
1.52 ml
2 ml
4 ml

30. Doctor’s Order: Heparin 4,390 units Sub Q bid; Available: Heparin 5,000 USP units per ml in 10 ml. How many mL will you administer?

8.8 ml
0.88 ml
1.88 ml
0.18 ml

31. Doctor’s Order: Penicillin G 223,500 units IM q 4 hr; Available: Penicillin G 500,000 units /2.5 mL. How many mL will you administer?

0.4 ml
2 ml
1.1 ml
2.4 ml

32. Doctor’s Order: Amikacin 5 mg/ lb IM q 12 hr; Available: Amikacin 0.9 gm/ 2 mL. How many mL will you administer to a 72.7 Kg patient?

0.9 ml
3 ml
5 ml
1.8 ml

33. Doctor’s Order: Fentanyl 0.05 mg IV bolus; Reconstitution instructions: Constitute to Fentanyl 100 micrograms/2.3 mL with 2.4 mL of 5% Dextrose Water for Injection. How many mL will you administer?

0.01 ml
0.1 ml
1 ml
1.2

34. Doctor’s Order: Ancef 0.4253 Gm IM bid; Reconstitution instructions: For IM solution add 1.25 mL of diluent. Shake to dissolve. Provides an approximate volume of 1.6 mL (240 mg/mL). How many mL will you give?

0.8 ml
1.8 ml
2.2 ml
3.2 ml

35. Doctor’s Order: Infuse 250 mL of platelets IV over 2 hr 30 min; Drop factor: 10 gtt/mL. What flow rate (mL/hr) will you set on the IV infusion pump?

10 ml/hr
100 ml/hr
50 ml/hr
150 ml/hr

36. Doctor’s Order: 1 ¼ L of D5 with Ringer’s lactate to be infused over 18 hours; Drop factor: 20 gtt/mL. What flow rate (mL/hr) will you set on the IV infusion pump?

1.2 ml/hr
23.1 ml/hr
69.4 ml/hr
20 ml/hr

37. Doctor’s Order: Zantac 150 mg in 175 mL of D5W to infuse IVPB over 45 minutes; Drop factor: 12 gtt/mL. How many mL/hr will you set on the IV infusion pump?

7.2 ml/hr
233.3 ml/hr
86.7 ml/hr
433.3 ml/hr

38. Doctor’s Order: Infuse 2750 mL of 0.45% Normal Saline at 150 mL/hr; Drop Factor: 15 gtt/mL. How many gt/mL will you regulate the IV?

46 gtt/min
38 gtt/min
48 gtt/min
36 gtt/min

39. Doctor’s Order: Cefoxin 0.5 Gm in 275 mL of D5W to infuse IVPB over 2 hours; Drop Factor: 60 gtt/mL. How many gtt/min will you regulate the IV?

200 gtt/min
150 gtt/min
257 gtt/min
138 gtt/min

40. Doctor’s Order: ¾ L of D5W to infuse over 5 hr 45 min; Drop factor: 60 gtt/mL. How many gtt/min will you regulate the IV?

12.5 gtt/min
75.5 gtt/min
375/ gtt/min
130 gtt/min

Answers and Rationale

1. Answer: C. 3 supp

1 g = 1000 mg
$\frac{1\, g}{325\, mg}\times \frac{1000\, mg}{1\, g}\times 1\, supp= 3.08\, or\, 3\, supp$

2. Answer: C. 1.5 tabs

1 g = 1,000 mg
$\frac{500\, mg}{1\, g}\times \frac{1\, g}{1,000\, mg}\times 3\, meals\times 1\, tab= 1.5\, tabs$

3. Answer: B. 0.5 tab

1 mg = 1,000 mcg
$\frac{75\, mcg}{0.15\, mg}\times \frac{1\, mg}{1,000\, mcg}\times 1\, tab= 0.5\, tab$

4. Answer: A. 2 caps

31 lbs = 14 kg
1.8 mg/kg x 14 kg = 25.2 mg or 25 mg (per dose)
$\frac{25\, mg}{12.5\, mg}\times 1\, cap= 2\, caps$

5. Answer: A. 3 tsp

$\frac{600\, mg}{100\, mg}\times 2.5\, ml= 15\, ml$
$15\, ml\times \frac{1\, tsp}{5\, ml}= 3\, tsp$

6. Answer: A. 5 ml

1 tbsp = 15 ml
$\frac{500\, mg}{1.5\, g}\times \frac{1\, g}{1,000\, mg}\times 15\, ml= 5\, ml$

7. Answer: B. 3,265 ml

1 qt = 1,000 ml
1 oz = 30 ml
600 ml + 345 ml + 750 ml + 320 ml + 1,250 ml = 3,265 ml (Grits is not liquid at room temperature, so it is not included when calculating intake.)

8. Answer: D. 3,195 ml

1 pt = 500 ml
1 oz = 30 ml
240 ml + 120 ml + 375 ml + 960 ml + 1,500 ml = 3,195 ml (Cottage cheese is not liquid at room temperature, so it is not included when calculating intake.)

9. Answer: D. 1.5 ml

157 lbs = 71.36 kg or 71 kg
7.5 mg/kg x 71 kg = 532.5 mg
$\frac{532.5\, mg}{350\, mg}\times \, 1\, ml= 1.5\, ml$

10. Answer: A. 0.79 ml

$\frac{7,855\, units}{10,000\, units}\times 1\, ml= 0.79\, ml$

11. Answer: A. 0.87 ml

$\frac{50\, mg}{75\, mg}\times 1\, ml= 0.87\, ml$

12. Answer: D. 3 ml

59 kg = 130 lbs
1.75 mg/lbs x 130 lbs = 227.5 mg
$\frac{227.5\, mg}{0.35\, g}\times \frac{1\, g}{1,000\, mg}\times 2.3\, ml= 1.5\, ml$
1.5 ml x 2 = 3 ml

13. Answer: D 2.5 ml

1 mg = 1,000 mcg
$\frac{0.8\, mg}{1,000\, mcg}\times \frac{1,000\, mcg}{1\, mg}\times 3.1\, ml= 2.5\, ml$ l

14. Answer: D. 1.1 ml

$\frac{0.3\, g}{280\, mg/ml}\times \frac{1,000\, mg}{1\, g}\times 1\, ml= 1.1\, ml$

15. Answer: B. 58.8 ml/hr

4 hr 15 min = 4.25 hrs [4 hrs + (15 mins÷60 mins)]

$\frac{250\, ml}{4.25\, hrs}= 58.8\, ml/hr$

16. Answer: B. 214.3 ml/hr

$\frac{1,500\, ml}{7\, hrs}= 214.3\, ml/hr$

17. Answer: A. 200 ml/hr

15 min = 0.25 hr
$\frac{50\, ml}{0.25\, hr}= 200\, ml/hr$

18. Answer: C. 25 gtt/min

$\frac{125\, ml}{1\, \times 60\, mins}\times 12\, gtt/ml= 25\, gtt/min$

19. Answer: C. 67 gtt/min

$\frac{250\, ml}{45\, mins}\times 12\, gtt/ml= 67\, gtt/min$

20. Answer: A. 91 gtt/min

$\frac{250\, ml}{2\, hrs\, \times 60\, mins\\\, +\, 45\, mins}\times 60\, gtt/ml= 91\, gtt/min$

21. Answer: C. 4.5 tabs

$\frac{3,000\, mcg}{2\, mg}\times \frac{1\, mg}{1,000\, mg}\times 1\, tab\,\times 3= 4.5\, tabs$

22. Answer: C. 3 caps

$\frac{0.75\, g}{250\, mg}\times \frac{1,000\, mg}{1\, g}= 3\, caps$

23. Answer: B. 2 tabs

$\frac{0.25\, mg}{125\, mcg}\times \frac{1,000\, mcg}{1\, mg}= 2\, tabs$

24. Answer: C. 2 ml

20.5 kg x 2.2 lbs = 45.1 lbs
45.1 lbs x 0.35 0.35 mEq/lb = 15.8 mEq/lb
$\frac{15.8 \, mEq/lb}{8\, mEq/lb}\times 1\, ml= 2\, ml$

25. Answer: A. 0.5 tbsp

$\frac{160\, mg}{10.7\, mg}\times 0.5\, ml= 7.5\, ml$
$7.5\, ml\times \frac{1\, tbsp}{15\, ml}= 0.5\, tbsp$

26. Answer: D. 3.3 ml

$\frac{10\, mg}{15\, mg}\times 1\, tsp= 0.67\, tsp\times \frac{5\, ml}{1\, tsp}= 3.3\, ml$

27. Answer: B. 2,585 ml

1 oz = 30 ml
1 pt = 500 ml
450 ml + 135 ml + 1,750 ml + 250 ml = 2,585 ml (Cottage cheese is not liquid at room temperature, so it is not included when calculating intake.)

28. Answer: A. 2460

1 oz = 30 ml
1 qt = 1000 ml
120 ml + 90 ml + 750 ml + 500 ml + 1,000 ml = 2,460 ml (Fruit cocktail is not liquid at room temperature, so it is not included when calculating intake.)

29. Answer: A. 0.52 ml

183 lb = 83.2 kg
83.2 kg x 1.25 mg/kg = 104 mg
$\frac{104\, mg}{0.2\, g/ml}\times \frac{1\, g}{1,000\, mg}= 0.52\, ml$

30. Answer: B. 0.88 ml

$\frac{4,390\, units}{5,000\, USP \, units}\times 1\, ml= 0.88\, ml$

31. Answer: C. 1.1 ml

$\frac{223,500\, units}{500,000\, USP \, units}\times 2.5\, ml= 1.1\, ml$

32. Answer: D. 1.8 ml

72.7 x 2.2 = 160 lb
5 mg/lb x 160 lb = 800 mg (per dose)
$\frac{800\, mg}{0.9\, g}\times \frac{1\, g}{1,000\, mg}\times 2\, ml= 1.8\, ml$

33. Answer: D. 1.2

$\frac{0.05\, mg}{100\, mcg}\times \frac{1,000\, mcg}{1\, mg}\times 2.3\, ml= 1.2\, ml$

34. Answer: B. 1.8 ml

$\frac{0.4253\, g}{240\, mg}\times \frac{1,000\, mg}{1\, g}\times 1\, ml= 1.8\, ml$

35. Answer: B. 100 ml/hr

$\frac{250\, ml}{2.5\, hrs}= 100\, ml/hr$

36. Answer: C. 69.4 ml/hr

$\frac{1,250\, ml}{18\, hrs}= 69.4\, ml/hr$

37. Answer: B. 233.3 ml/hr

$\frac{175\, ml}{0.75\, hr}= 233.3\, ml/hr$

38. Answer: B. 38 gtt/min

$\frac{150\, ml}{60\, mins}\times 15\, gtt/ml= 38\, gtt/min$

39. Answer: D. 138 gtt/min

2 hrs x 60 mins = 120 mins
$\frac{275\, ml}{120\, mins}\times 60\, gtt/ml= 138\, gtt/min$

40. Answer: D. 130 gtt/min

5 hrs x 60 = 300 mins + 45 mins = 345 mins
$\frac{750\, ml}{345\, mins}\times 60\, gtt/ml= 130\, gtt/min$