ATI DOSAGE CALCULATION RN ADULT
MEDICAL SURGICAL STUDY GUIDE 2026
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTION ANSWER
DIGEST
◉ A nurse is preparing to administer eszopiclone 2,000 mcg PO to a
client. How many mg should the nurse administer?
(Round to the nearest whole number. Use a leading zero if it applies.
Do not use a trailing zero.)
Answer: Answer: 2 mg
Follow these steps for the Ratio and Proportion method of
calculation:
Step 1: What is the unit of measurement the nurse should calculate?
mg
Step 2: What is the dose the nurse should administer? Dose to
administer = Desired 2,000 mcg
Step 3: What is the dose available? Dose available = Have 1 mg
Step 4: Should the nurse convert the units of measurement? Yes
(mcg does not equal mg)
,1,000 mcg/1 mg = 2,000 mcg/X mg
X mg = 2 mg
Step 5: Round if necessary.
Step 6: Determine whether the amount to administer makes sense. If
the prescription reads 2,000 mcg and 1,000 mcg equals 1 mg, it
makes sense to administer 2 mg. The nurse should administer
eszopiclone 2 mg PO.
◉ A nurse is preparing to administer tobramycin 4 mg/kg/day IM
divided in three equal doses to a patient who weighs 60 kg. Available
is tobramycin 40 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer per dose?
(Round to the nearest whole number. Use a leading zero if it applies.
Do not use a trailing zero.)
Answer: Answer: 2 mL
Follow these steps for the Ratio and Proportion method of
calculation:
Step 1: What is the unit of measurement the nurse should calculate?
mg
Step 2: Set up an equation and solve for X.
X = Dose per kg × Client's weight in kg
X mg = 4 mg/kg × 60 kg
,X mg = 240 mg
The dose is divided into three equal doses; therefore, divide X by 3.
240 mg = 80 mg3
Step 3: What is the unit of measurement the nurse should calculate?
mL
Step 4: What is the dose the nurse should administer? Dose to
administer = Desired 80 mg
Step 5: What is the dose available? Dose available = Have 40 mg
Step 6: Should the nurse convert the units of measurement? No
Step 7: What is the quantity of the dose available? 1 mL
Step 8: Set up an equation and solve for X.
Have/Quantity = Desired/X
40 mg/1 mL = 80 mg/X mL
X mL = 2 mL
Step 9: Round if necessary.
Step 10: Determine whether the amount to administer makes sense.
If there are 40 mg/mL and the prescription reads 4 mg/kg/day
divided in three equal doses, it makes sense to administer 2 mL. The
nurse should administer tobramycin 2 mL IM per dose.
◉ A nurse is preparing to administer meperidine 75 mg IM stat.
Available is meperidine injection 100 mg/mL. How many mL should
the nurse administer?
, (Round answer to nearest hundredth. Use a leading zero if it
applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)
Answer: Answer: 0.75 mL
Follow these steps for the Ratio and Proportion method of
calculation:
Step 1: What is the unit of measurement the nurse should calculate?
mL
Step 2: What is the dose the nurse should administer? Dose to
administer = Desired 75 mg
Step 3: What is the dose available? Dose available = Have 100 mg
Step 4: Should the nurse convert the units of measurement? No
Step 5: What is the quantity of the dose available? 1 mL
Step 6: Set up an equation and solve for X.
Have/Quantity = Desired/X
100 mg / 1mL =75 mg/ X mL
X mL = 0.75 mL
Step 7: Round if necessary.
Step 8: Determine whether the amount to administer makes sense. If
there are 100 mg/mL and the prescription reads 75 mg, it makes
sense to administer 0.75 mL. The nurse should administer
meperidine 0.75 mL IM.
MEDICAL SURGICAL STUDY GUIDE 2026
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTION ANSWER
DIGEST
◉ A nurse is preparing to administer eszopiclone 2,000 mcg PO to a
client. How many mg should the nurse administer?
(Round to the nearest whole number. Use a leading zero if it applies.
Do not use a trailing zero.)
Answer: Answer: 2 mg
Follow these steps for the Ratio and Proportion method of
calculation:
Step 1: What is the unit of measurement the nurse should calculate?
mg
Step 2: What is the dose the nurse should administer? Dose to
administer = Desired 2,000 mcg
Step 3: What is the dose available? Dose available = Have 1 mg
Step 4: Should the nurse convert the units of measurement? Yes
(mcg does not equal mg)
,1,000 mcg/1 mg = 2,000 mcg/X mg
X mg = 2 mg
Step 5: Round if necessary.
Step 6: Determine whether the amount to administer makes sense. If
the prescription reads 2,000 mcg and 1,000 mcg equals 1 mg, it
makes sense to administer 2 mg. The nurse should administer
eszopiclone 2 mg PO.
◉ A nurse is preparing to administer tobramycin 4 mg/kg/day IM
divided in three equal doses to a patient who weighs 60 kg. Available
is tobramycin 40 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer per dose?
(Round to the nearest whole number. Use a leading zero if it applies.
Do not use a trailing zero.)
Answer: Answer: 2 mL
Follow these steps for the Ratio and Proportion method of
calculation:
Step 1: What is the unit of measurement the nurse should calculate?
mg
Step 2: Set up an equation and solve for X.
X = Dose per kg × Client's weight in kg
X mg = 4 mg/kg × 60 kg
,X mg = 240 mg
The dose is divided into three equal doses; therefore, divide X by 3.
240 mg = 80 mg3
Step 3: What is the unit of measurement the nurse should calculate?
mL
Step 4: What is the dose the nurse should administer? Dose to
administer = Desired 80 mg
Step 5: What is the dose available? Dose available = Have 40 mg
Step 6: Should the nurse convert the units of measurement? No
Step 7: What is the quantity of the dose available? 1 mL
Step 8: Set up an equation and solve for X.
Have/Quantity = Desired/X
40 mg/1 mL = 80 mg/X mL
X mL = 2 mL
Step 9: Round if necessary.
Step 10: Determine whether the amount to administer makes sense.
If there are 40 mg/mL and the prescription reads 4 mg/kg/day
divided in three equal doses, it makes sense to administer 2 mL. The
nurse should administer tobramycin 2 mL IM per dose.
◉ A nurse is preparing to administer meperidine 75 mg IM stat.
Available is meperidine injection 100 mg/mL. How many mL should
the nurse administer?
, (Round answer to nearest hundredth. Use a leading zero if it
applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)
Answer: Answer: 0.75 mL
Follow these steps for the Ratio and Proportion method of
calculation:
Step 1: What is the unit of measurement the nurse should calculate?
mL
Step 2: What is the dose the nurse should administer? Dose to
administer = Desired 75 mg
Step 3: What is the dose available? Dose available = Have 100 mg
Step 4: Should the nurse convert the units of measurement? No
Step 5: What is the quantity of the dose available? 1 mL
Step 6: Set up an equation and solve for X.
Have/Quantity = Desired/X
100 mg / 1mL =75 mg/ X mL
X mL = 0.75 mL
Step 7: Round if necessary.
Step 8: Determine whether the amount to administer makes sense. If
there are 100 mg/mL and the prescription reads 75 mg, it makes
sense to administer 0.75 mL. The nurse should administer
meperidine 0.75 mL IM.
