PRACTICE STUDY GUIDE TESTED
QUESTIONS
●● What are the three methods for dosage calculation used by nurses?
Answer: Ratio and proportion, formula (desired over have), and
dimensional analysis.
●● What types of calculations are essential for safe nursing care?
Answer: Calculations for solid oral medication, liquid oral medication,
injectable medication, correct doses by weight, and IV infusion rates.
●● What is the standard conversion factor for milligrams to
micrograms?
Answer: 1 mg = 1,000 mcg.
●● How should dosages greater than 1.0 be rounded?
Answer: Round to the nearest tenth.
●● How should dosages less than 1.0 be rounded?
Answer: Round to the nearest hundredth.
,●● What is the rounded dose of 1.38 mg?
Answer: 1.4 mg.
●● What is the rounded dose of 1.34 mL?
Answer: 1.3 mL.
●● What is the first step in using ratio and proportion for dosage
calculation?
Answer: Identify the unit of measurement to calculate.
●● What is the desired dose in the example of administering phenytoin?
Answer: 0.2 g.
●● What is the available dose of phenytoin in the example?
Answer: 100 mg per capsule.
●● How many capsules should the nurse administer for a dose of 0.2 g?
Answer: 2 capsules.
●● What is the conversion factor for grams to milligrams?
Answer: 1 g = 1,000 mg.
, ●● What is the quantity of the dose available in the phenytoin example?
Answer: 1 capsule.
●● What is the method used to solve for the number of capsules in the
example?
Answer: Set up an equation using the ratio of desired to available dose.
●● What does the formula 'Desired / Have' represent in dosage
calculations?
Answer: It represents the calculation method to determine how much
medication to administer.
●● What is the unit of measurement for liquid dosage calculations?
Answer: mL.
●● What is the available dose of amoxicillin in the example?
Answer: 250 mg/5 mL.
●● What is the desired dose of amoxicillin in the example?
Answer: 0.25 g.
●● What is the first step in dimensional analysis for dosage calculation?
Answer: Identify the unit of measurement being calculated.