Dosage Calculations 1–20: Questions
with Brief Workouts and Answers
1. 1. Order: Heparin sodium 10,000 units subcutaneously stat. The label reads 40,000
units/mL. How many milliliters will you administer?
→ 10,000 ÷ 40,000 = 0.25 mL
2. 2. Order: Capreomycin sulfate 1 g IM two times per week. The manufacturer
recommends adding 2 mL of sterile water. How many mL will you prepare?
→ 1 g = 2 mL
3. 3. Order: Rocephin (ceftriaxone) 125 mg IM stat. Reconstitute a 250 mg vial with 0.9 mL
sterile water to get 250 mg/mL. How many mL will you administer?
→ 125 ÷ 250 = 0.5 mL
4. 4. Order: Stelazine (trifluoperazine) 1.5 mg IM q6h. Label: 2 mg/mL. How many mL will
you administer?
→ 1.5 ÷ 2 = 0.75 mL
5. 5. Order: Lovenox (enoxaparin) 30 mg subcutaneously b.i.d. Label: 80 mg/mL. How
many mL will you administer?
→ 30 ÷ 80 = 0.375 mL
6. 6. Order: Methylprednisolone succinate 24 mg IM daily. Act-O-Vial yields 40 mg/mL.
How many mL will you administer?
→ 24 ÷ 40 = 0.6 mL
7. 7. Order: NS 1000 mL IV at 125 mL/hr over 8 hrs. Drop factor = 10 gtt/mL. After 4 hrs,
600 mL remain. What is the new rate?
→ (600 × 10) ÷ 240 = 25 gtt/min
8. 8. Order: NS 1500 mL IV at 125 mL/hr over 12 hrs. Drop factor = 20 gtt/mL. 900 mL
remain after 6 hrs. What is the new flow rate?
→ (900 × 20) ÷ 360 = 50 gtt/min
9. 9. An IV is infusing at 23 mcgtt/min (microdrip tubing). What is the rate in mL/hr?
→ 23 mcgtt/min = 23 mL/hr
10. 10. Order: D5W 600 mL IV to infuse in 6 hrs. What rate in mL/hr will you set the pump?
→ 600 ÷ 6 = 100 mL/hr
11. 11. Order: Nitroglycerin IV at 30–90 mcg/min for chest pain. IV contains 50 mg in 250
mL (200 mcg/mL). What is the min and max flow rate in mL/hr?
→ Min: (30×60)/200 = 9 mL/hr; Max: (90×60)/200 = 27 mL/hr
12. 12. Order: Verapamil 0.075 mg/kg IV push over 2 min. Weight: 80 kg. Vial: 5 mg/2 mL.
How many mL/min will you administer?
→ 0.075×80 = 6 mg → (6 ÷ 5)×2 = 2.4 mL → 2.4 ÷ 2 = 1.2 mL/min
13. 13. Order: Zofran (ondansetron) 4 mg IVPB in 50 mL over 20 min. What rate will you set
the pump in mL/hr?
→ (50 ÷ 20) × 60 = 150 mL/hr
14. 14. Calculate maintenance fluids for a 12.7 kg child. Use the 100/50/20 rule. What’s the
daily and hourly rate?
→ 1000 + (2.7×50) = 1135 mL/day → 1135 ÷ 24 = 47 mL/hr
15. 15. Order: RL 500 mL IV at 50 mcgtt/min. Started at 0430. When will it finish?
→ (500×60) ÷ 50 = 600 min = 10 hrs → 0430 + 10 hrs = 2:30 PM
16. 16. Order: Dronabinol 5 mg/m² PO. BSA = 0.82 m². How many mg will be given?
→ 5 × 0.82 = 4.1 mg
17. 17. Order: Pfizerpen (Penicillin G) 1,000,000 units IM stat. Reconstituted vial: 500,000
units/mL. How many mL will you prepare?
→ 1,000,000 ÷ 500,000 = 2 mL
18. 18. Order: Stadol (butorphanol) 4 mg IM. Label: 2 mg/mL. How many mL will you
administer?
→ 4 ÷ 2 = 2 mL
19. 19. Order: D5W 2000 mL IV to infuse in 6 hrs. Drop factor = 15 gtt/mL. What is the flow
rate?
→ (2000 × 15) ÷ 360 = 83 gtt/min
20. 20. Order: Heparin 40,000 units in 1000 mL NS at 40 mL/hr. Is the dose within the
normal daily range (20,000–40,000 units)?
→ 40 × 40 = 1600 units/hr → 1600 × 24 = 38,400 units/day (Yes, within range)
