# Drug Dosage Calculations NCLEX Exam 8 (20 Items)

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You know? If you finish this series, you’ll be answering actual drug calculations in the NCLEX as if you were just breathing. So here’s another 20-question practice exam!

Drug Approach and Right to Refuse.
Give the client enough autonomy to refuse to the medication after thoroughly explaining the effects.
—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 8 (20 Items)

NOTE BEFORE YOU START: The rationales and computation solutions for this quiz are available in the Text Mode.
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## 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 8 (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 8 (20 Items).You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%.Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%
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## 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. 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?

A. 21 gtts/minute
B. 30 gtts/minute
C. 42 gtts/minute
D. 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?

A. 1 tablet
B. 1/2 tablet
C. 1/3 tablet
D. 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?

A. 33 gtts/minute
B. 25 gtts/minute
C. 12 gtts/minute
D. 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?

A. 2.5 mL
B. 5 mL
C. 10 mL
D. 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?

A. 1 cup
B. 3/4 cup
C. 1/2 cup
D. 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?

A. 0.8 mL
B. 1.3 mL
C. 1.6 mL
D. 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?

A. 3.1 mL
B. 1.3 mL
C. 1 mL
D. 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?

A. 1 gtts/minute
B. 6 gtts/minute
C. 11 gtts/minute
D. 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?

A. 0.5 tablet
B. 1.5 tablets
C. 2 tablets
D. 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?

A. 20 gtts/minute
B. 25 gtts/minute
C. 36 gtts/minute
D. 38 gtts/minute

11. Your patient is taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) gr 15 every 6 hours PO for headache pain. You know the maximum safe dose is 4 g in 24 hours. Is the dose safe?

A. 2 g/day, safe!
B. 4 g/day, safe!
C. 6 g/day, not safe!
D. 8 g/day, not safe!

12. You are caring for your ill grandmother at home. She has an order for magnesium hydroxide/aluminum hydroxide (Maalox) 10 mL PO prn stomach upset. How do you instruct her to measure her dose using household measuring spoons?

A. 1 teaspoon
B. 1 1/2 teaspoons
C. 2 teaspoons
D. 2 1/2 teaspoons

13. Your patient needs 2,000 mL of saline IV over 4 hours for severely deficient fluid volume. How many milliliters per hour will you set on a controller?

A. 500 mL/hour
B. 250 mL/hour
C. 33 mL/hour
D. 8 mL/hour

14. Your patient needs 2,000 mL of D5W IV over 24 hours, to be delivered with a tubing set with a drop factor of 15. How many drops per minute will you set for an infusion rate?

A. 83 gtts/minute
B. 42 gtts/minute
C. 36 gtts/minute
D. 21 gtts/minute

15. You have on hand penicillin 300,000 units/mL. Your order reads penicillin 1,000,000 units IM. How will you fill the syringe?

A. 0.3 mL
B. 3.3 mL
C. 4.4 mL
D. 5.5 mL

16. The physician orders alprazolam (Xanax) 0.5 mg PO. You have on hand Xanax 0.25 mg tablets. How many will you give?

A. 1/2 tablet
B. 1 tablet
C. 1 1/2 tablets
D. 2 tablets

17. You need to administer 250 mg of erythromycin PO. You have on hand 0.5 g tablets. How many tablets will you give?

A. 1/2 tablet
B. 1 tablet
C. 1 1/2 tablets
D. 2 tablets

18. You need to administer 400 mg of erythromycin PO. You have on hand a suspension of 125 mg/5 mL. How much will you prepare?

A. 1.6 mL
B. 3.2 mL
C. 12 mL
D. 16 mL

19. You need to administer furosemide (Lasix) 2 mg/minute via continuous IV infusion on a controller. Pharmacy has sent a bag of Lasix 400 mg diluted in D5W 250 mL. How many milliliters per hour will you set on the controller?

A. 75 mL/hour
B. 100 mL/hour
C. 150 mL/hour
D. 250 mL/hour

20. A patient with HIV infection is receiving 200 mg of didanosine PO bid. The pharmacy only has powder packets with 167 mg each, to be mixed with 4 oz of water. How many packets should the patient mix? How much should the patient take? How can it be measured?

A. 4.8 oz
B. 3.3 oz
C. 2.2 oz
D. 1.8 oz

### Answers and Rationale

1. Answer: C. 42 gtts/minute

$\frac{1,000\, mL}{24\, hours}\times \frac{1\, hour}{60\, minutes}\times \frac{60\, gtts}{mL}= 42\, gtts/minute$

2. Answer: D. 1/4 tablet

$6.25\, mg\times \frac{1\, tablet}{25\, mg}= 1/4\, tablet$

3. Answer: A. 33 gtts/minute

$\frac{100\, mL}{45\, minutes}\times \frac{15\, gtts}{1\, mL}= 33\, gtts/minute$

4. Answer: D. 12.5 mL

$50\, mg\times \frac{5\, mL}{20\, mg}= 12.5\, mL$

5. Answer: B. 3/4 cup

$180\, mL\times \frac{1\, cup}{240\, mL}= 0.75\, or\, 3/4\, cup$

6. Answer: A. 0.8 mL

$3\, mg\times \frac{1\, mL}{4\, mg}= 0.8\, mL$

7. Answer: A. 3.1 mL

$125\, mg\times \frac{1\, mL}{40\, mg}= 3.1\, mL$

8. Answer: C. 11 gtts/minute

$\frac{11\, mL}{hour}\times \frac{1\, hour}{60\, minutes}\times \frac{60\, gtts}{1\, mL}= 11\, gtts/minute$

9. Answer: B. 1.5 tablets

$7.5\, mg\times \frac{1\, tablet}{5\, mg}= 1.5\, tablets$

10. Answer: D. 38 gtts/minute

$\frac{50\, mL}{20\, minutes}\times \frac{15\, gtts}{1\, mL}= 38\, gtts/minute$

11. Answer: B. 4 g/day, safe!

$\frac{15\, gr}{dose}\times \frac{4\, doses}{day}\times \frac{1\, g}{15\, gr}= 4\, g/day$

*The dose is at the upper limit of a safe dose.

12. Answer: C. 2 teaspoons

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

13. Answer: A. 500 mL/hour

$\frac{2,000\, mL}{4\, hours}= 500\, mL/hour$

14. Answer: D. 21 gtts/minute

$\frac{2,000\, mL}{24\, hours}\times \frac{1\, hour}{60\, minutes}\times \frac{15\, gtts}{mL}= 21\, gtts/minute$

15. Answer: B. 3.3 mL

$1,000,000\, units\times \frac{1\, mL}{300,000\, units}= 3.3\, mL$

16. Answer: D. 2 tablets

$0.5\, mg\times \frac{1\, tablet}{0.25\, units}= 2\, tablets$

17. Answer: A. 1/2 tablet

$250\, mg\times \frac{1\, g}{1,000\, mg}\times \frac{1\, tablet}{0.5\, g}= 1/2\, tablet$

18. Answer: D. 16 mL

$400\, mg\times \frac{5\, mL}{125\, mg}= 16\, mL$

19. Answer: A. 75 mL/hour

$\frac{2\, mg}{minute}\times \frac{250\, mL}{400\, mg}\times \frac{60\, minutes}{1\, hour}= 75\, mL/hour$

20. Answer: A. 4.8 oz

$200\, mg\times \frac{4\, oz}{167\, mg}= 4.8\, oz$

*The patient will have to mix two packets, each in 4 oz of water, and drink 4.8 oz measured in a calibrated measuring cup. If a cup that measures milliliters is available, then:

$4.8\, oz\times \frac{30\, mL}{1\, oz}= 144\, mL$

or

$144\, mL\times \frac{1\, tbsp}{15\, mL}= 9.6\, tbsp$

### See Also

You may also like these quizzes:

Nursing Pharmacology

Questions related to administering medication safely are part of the NCLEX-RN. Prepare for these nursing pharmacology questions with these quizzes:

Dosage Calculations

This set of NCLEX practice questions includes not only dosage calculations but also metric conversions. Better get your calculators ready!

### Recommended Books and Resources

Selected NCLEX-RN review books:

1.  MUST HAVE  Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN® Examination, 7th Edition – A must-have book if you're taking the NCLEX-RN. You need to have this.
2. Saunders Strategies for Success for the NCLEX – An invaluable guide that will help you master what matters most in passing nursing school and the NCLEX.
3. Mosby's Comprehensive Review of Nursing for NCLEX-RN – This book has helped nurses pass the NCLEX exam for over 60 years. Practice with over 600 alternative item question formats.
4. Lippincott Q&A Review for NCLEX-RN – A different approach to NCLEX-RN review.
5. Prioritization, Delegation, and Assignment: Practice Exercises for the NCLEX Examination – An NCLEX review book that focuses on prioritization, delegation, and patient assignment.

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