NCLEX: Drug Dosage Calculation Exam 10

1. A patient has a primary IV of dextrose in water 1,000 mL to be infused over 24 hours. What would be the drip rate using tubing with a drop factor of 60?

1. 21 gtts/minute
2. 30 gtts/minute
3. 42 gtts/minute
4. 60 gtts/minute

2. A patient is sent home on captopril (Capoten), 6.25 mg PO bid. Her pharmacist dispenses 25 mg scored tablets. How many should the patient take for each dose?

1. 1 tablet
2. 1/2 tablet
3. 1/3 tablet
4. 1/4 tablet

3. An IVPB of ranitidine hydrochloride (Zantac) 50 mg in 100 mL D5W is to run over 45 minutes. The tubing has a drip factor of 15. How many drops per minute should you deliver?

1. 33 gtts/minute
2. 25 gtts/minute
3. 12 gtts/minute
4. 7 gtts/minute

4. You have an order for phenobarbital 50 mg PO at bedtime. It is supplied as phenobarbital elixir 20 mg/5 mL. How much will you administer?

1. 2.5 mL
2. 5 mL
3. 10 mL
4. 12.5 mL

5. You are providing home care for a patient who needs to mix her oral psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid (Metamucil) in 180 mL of water or juice. She has only standard measuring cups in the house. How do you instruct her to take her dose?

1. 1 cup
2. 3/4 cup
3. 1/2 cup
4. 1/4 cup

6. You need to administer lorazepam (Ativan) 3 mg IM to an agitated patient. You have on hand 4 mg/mL. How much do you prepare?

1. 0.8 mL
2. 1.3 mL
3. 1.6 mL
4. 2.7 mL

7. You need to administer 125 mg of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (Solu-Medrol) IV push bid to a patient with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. You have on hand 40 mg/mL. How much do you prepare?

1. 3.1 mL
2. 1.3 mL
3. 1 mL
4. 0.3 mL

8. A patient is to receive IV heparin now for a blood clot in the leg. It is ordered at 11 mL/hour. Until the IV infusion controller is available. How many drops per minute will you run on microdrip tubing?

1. 1 gtts/minute
2. 6 gtts/minute
3. 11 gtts/minute
4. 15 gtts/minute

9. A patient has a bottle of warfarin (Coumadin) 5 mg tablets at home. After his most recent international normalized ratio (INR), the doctor calls and tells him to take 7.5 mg/day. How many tables should the patient take?

1. 0.5 tablet
2. 1.5 tablets
3. 2 tablets
4. 2.5 tablets

10. You need to administer IV piperacillin sodium/tazobactam sodium (Zosyn) 3.375 g in 50 mL D5W to run over 20 minutes. How many drops per minute do you set if the IV tubing has a drop factor of 15?

1. 20 gtts/minute
2. 25 gtts/minute
3. 36 gtts/minute
4. 38 gtts/minute

Answers and Rationales

1. Answer: C.  (1,000 mL/24 hours) x (1 hour/ 60 minutes) x (6o gtts/mL)= 42 gtts/minute
2. Answer: D.  6.25 mg x (1 tablet/25 mg) = 1/4 tablet
3. Answer: A. (100 mL/45 minutes) x (15 gtts/1mL)= 33 gtts/minute
4. Answer: D. 50 mg x (5 mL/20 mg)= 12.5 mL
5. Answer: B. 180 mL x (1 cup/240 mL) = 3/4 cup
6. Answer: A. 3 mg x (1 mL/4 mg)= 0.8 mL
7. Answer: A. 125 mg x (1 mL/40 mg)= 3.1 mL
8. Answer: C. (11 mL/hour) x (1 hour/60 minutes) x (60 gtts/1 mL) = 11 gtts/minutes
9. Answer: B. 7.5 mg x (1 tablet/5 mg)= 1.5 tablets
10. Answer: D. (50 mL/20 minutes) x (15 gtts/1 mL) =38 gtts/minute