# Drug Dosage Calculations NCLEX Exam 5 (20 Items)

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To provide safe and effective nursing care, a nurse must be able to accurately and precisely calculate medication dosages. The goal of this quiz series is to help nurses grasp and master the concepts and the skill of medication dosage calculation. This is the 5th part of the series with another 20 challenging questions.

Right Time and Frequency.
Check the order for when it would be given and when was the last time it was given.
—10 Rights of Drug Administration

### Topics

Included topics in this exam are as follows:

### Guidelines

Follow the guidelines below to make the most out of this exam:

• Read each question carefully and choose the best answer.
• You are given one minute per question. Spend your time wisely!
• Answers and rationales are given below. Be sure to read them.
• If you need more clarifications, please direct them to the comments section.

NOTE:  In this quiz, the rationales and computation of the solutions are available in the Text Mode.

## Exam Mode

In Exam Mode: All questions are shown but the results, answers, and rationales (if any) will only be given after you’ve finished the quiz. You are given 1 minute per question.

For the rationales and solutions of this quiz, please see the Text Mode tab.

## Drug Dosage Calculations NCLEX Exam 5 (20 Items)

NOTE BEFORE YOU START: The rationales and computation solutions for this quiz are available in the Text Mode.
Congratulations - you have completed Drug Dosage Calculations NCLEX Exam 5 (20 Items).You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%.Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

## Practice Mode

Practice Mode: This is an interactive version of the Text Mode. All questions are given in a single page and correct answers, rationales or explanations (if any) are immediately shown after you have selected an answer. No time limit for this exam.

For the rationales and solutions of this quiz, please see the Text Mode tab.

## Drug Dosage Calculations NCLEX Exam 5 (20 Items)

NOTE BEFORE YOU START: The rationales and computation solutions for this quiz are available in the Text Mode.
Congratulations - you have completed Drug Dosage Calculations NCLEX Exam 5 (20 Items).You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%.Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

## Text Mode

In Text Mode: All questions and answers are given for reading and answering at your own pace. You can also copy this exam and make a print out.

1. You need to administer prochlorperazine (Compazine) 10 mg IM to a nauseated patient. You have on hand Compazine 5 mg/mL. How should you prepare the correct dose?

A. 5 mL
B. 2 mL
C. 1 mL
D. 0.5 mL

2. An order reads furosemide (Lasix) 40 mg IV push. You have on hand Lasix 20 mg/2 mL. How should you prepare the correct dose?

A. 4 mL
B. 2 mL
C. 1 mL
D. 0.5 mL

3. You need to administer 15 mg of morphine IM. It is supplied as gr 1/6 per mL. How should you prepare the correct dose?

A. 4.5 mL
B. 4 mL
C. 2 mL
D. 1.5 mL

4. You have on hand diazepam (Valium) 5 mg/mL. You need to administer 8 mg IV push stat. to a patient having a seizure. How much should you draw into the syringe?

A. 0.6 mL
B. 1 mL
C. 1.6 mL
D. 2 mL

5. A patient has an aminophylline IV drip ordered for acute asthma, to run at 20 mL/hour. No IV infusion controller is available right now. How many drops per minute will be required if microdrip tubing is used?

A. 30 gtts/min
B. 20 gtts/min
C. 15 gtts/min
D. 10 gtts/min

6. A safe maintenance dose of aminophylline is 0.36 mg/kg/hour. It is supplied as 100 mg/100 mL. Your patient is 130 pounds and is receiving 20 mL/hour. Is the dose safe?

A. patient is receiving 20 mg/hour; yes, dose is safe
B. patient is receiving 20 mg/hour; yes, dose is not safe
C. patient is receiving 40 mg/hour; yes, dose is safe
D. patient is receiving 40 mg/hour; yes, dose is not safe

7. Your patient is to receive metoprolol tartrate (Lopressor) 25 mg/day PO. The pharmacist dispenses 50 mg scored tablets. How many tablets should your patient take each day?

A. 1 tab
B. 1/2 tab
C. 2 tabs
D. 2 1/2 tabs

8. A patient has an IV piggyback of ceftriaxone (Rocephin) 500 mg in 50 mL D5W to run over 20 minutes. The tubing has a drip factor of 10. How many drops per minute should be administered?

A. 25 gtts/min
B. 20 gtts/min
C. 10 gtts/min
D. 4 gtts/min

9. A home care patient must restrict fluid intake to 2 L every 24 hours. He has only household measuring cups. How many cups may he drink daily and not exceed the 2 L limit?

A. 12 cups
B. 12.3 or 12 and 1/3 cups
C. 8 cups
D. 8.3 or 8 and 1/3 cups

10. A patient has an IV piggyback of ceftriaxone (Rocephin) 500 mg in 50 mL D5W to run over 20 minutes. If you use an IV infusion controller, how many milliliters per hour will you set?

A. 50 mL/hour
B. 150 mL/hour
C. 200 mL/hour
D. 17 mL/hour

11. You are providing home care for a patient who needs 15 mL of magnesium hydroxide/aluminum hydroxide (Maalox) PO. She has only standard measuring spoons in the house. How do you instruct her to take her dose?

A. 2 Tablespoon
B. 1.5 Tablespoon
C. 1 Tablespoon
D. 2.5 Tablespoon

12. Your order reads penicillin 1.2 million units IM daily. You have penicillin 500,000 units/mL. How should you prepare the correct dose?

A. 0.4 mL
B. 2.4 mL
C. 3 mL
D. 4 mL

13. Your order reads labetalol 40 mg IV push every 10 minutes until blood pressure is lower than 140/90 mm Hg. You have labetalol 5 mg/mL available. How should you prepare the correct dose?

A. 0.1 mL
B. 4 mL
C. 8 mL
D. 8.5 mL

14. You have on hand ergocalciferol liquid 8000 units/2 mL. Your order reads ergocalciferol 225,000 units PO daily. How should you prepare the correct dose?

A. 0.07 mL
B. 14 mL
C. 28 mL
D. 56 mL

15. Your order reads ergocalciferol 225,000 units PO daily. You have on hand ergocalciferol in 50,000 unit tablets. How many do you administer?

A. 4.5 tablets
B. 3.5 tablets
C. 2 tablets
D. 0.5 tablet

16. Your order reads cortisone 15 mg PO every morning. You have on hand cortisone 10 mg tablets. How should you prepare the correct dose?

A. 3 tablets
B. 2 tablets
C. 1.5 tablets
D. 1 tablet

17. Your order reads ceftizoxime 1 g IV piggyback every 8 hours. The pharmacy supplies it in 100 mL D5W. You need to infuse it over 30 minutes. With a drop factor of 10, what drip rate will you set?

A. 12 gtts/min
B. 15 gtts/min
C. 30 gtts/min
D. 33 gtts/min

18. Your order reads Zosyn 4.5 g in 100 mL D5W IV over 1 hour. You have microdrip tubing. What drip rate will you set?

A. 100 gtts/min
B. 60 gtts/min
C. 28 gtts/min
D. 8 gtts/min

19. Your order reads levothyroxine 100 mg PO every morning. You have levothyroxine 0.05 mg tablets. How many tablets should you administer?

A. 5 tablets
B. 3 tablets
C. 2 tablets
D. 1.5 tablets

20. You have on hand morphine 500 mg in 500 mL normal saline. You need to administer morphine 80 mg/hour in a continuous IV infusion to a patient with terminal cancer pain. How many milliliters per hour will you set on the controller?

A. 100 mL/hour
B. 80 mL/hour
C. 50 mL/hour
D. 30 mL/hour

### Answers and Rationale

1. Answer: B. 2 mL

$10\, mg\times \frac{1\, mL}{5\, mg}= 2\, mL$

2. Answer: A. 4 mL

$40\, mg\times \frac{2\, mL}{20\, mg}= 4\, mL$

3. Answer: D. 1.5 mL

$15\, mg\times \frac{1\, gr}{60\, mg}\times \frac{1\, mL}{1/6\, gr}= 1.5\, mL$

4. Answer: C. 1.6 mL

$8\, mg\times \frac{1\, mL}{5\, mg}= 1.6\, mL$

5. Answer: B. 20 gtts/min

$\frac{20\, ml}{1\, hr}\times \frac{1\, hr}{60\, mins}\times \frac{60\, gtts}{mL}= 20\, gtts/min$

6. Answer: A. patient is receiving 20 mg/hour; yes, dose is safe

Because you have to compare a safe dose to the patient’s dose, you have to do two separate calculations:

$\frac{0.36\, mg}{kg}\times \frac{1\, kg}{2.2\, lbs}\times 130\, lbs= 21.3\, mg/hr\, is\, safe$

$\frac{20\, mL}{Hour}\times \frac{100\, mg}{100\, mL}= patient\, is\, receiving\, 20\, mg/hr;\, yes,\, dose\, is\, safe$

7. Answer: B. 1/2 tab

$25\, mg\times \frac{1\, tab}{50\, mg}= 1/2\, tab$

8. Answer: A. 25 gtts/min

$\frac{50\, mL}{20\, mins}\times \frac{10\, gtts}{mL}= 25\, gtts/min$

9. Answer: D. 8.3 or 8 and 1/3 cups

$2\, L\times \frac{100\, mL}{1\, L}\times \frac{1\, cup}{240\, mL}= 8.3\, or\, 8\, and\, 1/3\, cups$

10. Answer: B. 150 mL/hour

$\frac{50\, mL}{20\, mins}\times \frac{60\, mins}{1\, hr}= 150\, mL/hr$

11. Answer: C. 1 Tablespoon

$15\, mL\times \frac{1\, tbsp}{15\, mL}= 1\, tbsp$

12. Answer: B. 2.4 mL

$1,200,000\, units\times \frac{1\, mL}{500,000\, units}= 2.4\, mL$

13. Answer: C. 8 mL

$4\, mg\times \frac{1\, mL}{5\, mg}= 8\, mL$

14. Answer: D. 56 mL

$225,000\, units\times \frac{2\, mL}{8,000\, units}= 56\, mL$

15. Answer: A. 4.5 tablets

$225,000\, units\times \frac{1\, tablet}{50,000\, units}= 4.5\, tablets$

16. Answer: C. 1.5 tablets

$15\, mg\, units\times \frac{1\, tablet}{10\, mg}= 1.5\, tablets$

17. Answer: D. 33 gtts/min

$\frac{100\, mL}{30\, mins}\times \frac{10\, gtts}{mL}= 33\, gtts/min$

18. Answer: A. 100 gtts/min

$\frac{100\, mL}{1\, hr}\times \frac{1\, hr}{60\, mins}\times \frac{60\, gtts}{1\, mL}= 100\, gtts/min$

19. Answer: C. 2 tablets

$100\, mcg\times \frac{1\, mg}{1,000\, mcg}\times \frac{1\, tablet}{0.05\, mg}= 2\, tablets$

20. Answer: B. 80 mL/hour

$\frac{80\, mg}{hour}\times \frac{500\, mL}{500\, mg}= 80\, mL/hour$

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