Saunders Fundamentals
Medications/IV Calculation
1) The nurse is completing a time tape for a 1000-mL intravenous (IV) bag that is scheduled
to infuse over 8 hours. The nurse has just placed the 1100 marking at the 500-mL level. The
nurse would place the mark for 1200 at which numerical level (mL)on the time tape? Fill in the
blank.
Correct answer: 375 mL
Rationale:
If the IV is scheduled to run over 8 hours, the hourly rate is 125 mL/hour. Using 500 mLas the
reference point, the next hourly marking would be at 375 mL, which is 125 mL less than 500.
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
2) A health care provider's prescription reads 1000 mL of normal saline (NS) to infuse over 12
hours. The drop factor is 15 drops (gtt)/1 mL. The nurse prepares to set the flowrate at how many
drops per minute? Fill in the blank. Record your answer to the nearest whole number.
drops per minute
Correct answer: 21 drops per minute
Rationale:
Use the intravenous (IV) flow rate formula.
Formula:
Total volume × Drop factor
–––––––––––––––––––––––––– = gtt/min
Time in minutes
1000 mL × 15 gtt 15,000
–––––––––––––––– = –––––– = 20.8 gtt/min
720 minutes 720
= 21 gtt/min
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
,Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
3) A health care provider's prescription reads to administer an intravenous (IV) dose of400,000
units of penicillin G benzathine. The label on the 10-mL ampule sent from thepharmacy reads
penicillin G benzathine, 300,000 units/mL. The nurse prepares how much medication to
administer the correct dose? Fill in the blank. Record your answer using 1 decimal place.
mL
Correct answer: 1.3 mL
Rationale:
Use the medication dose formula.
Formula:
Desired × mL
–––––––––––– = mL/dose
Available
400,000 units × 1 mL
–––––––––––––––––––– = mL/dose
300,000 units
400,000 units
––––––––––––– = 1.33 = 1.3 mL
300,000 units
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
4) A health care provider's prescription reads potassium chloride 30 mEq to be added to1000 mL
normal saline (NS) and to be administered over a 10-hour period. The label on the medication
bottle reads 40 mEq/20 mL. The nurse prepares how many milliliters of potassium chloride to
administer the correct dose of medication? Fill in the blank.
mL
Correct answer: 15 mL
Rationale:
In most facilities, potassium chloride is premixed in the intravenous solution and the nurse will need
to verify the correct dose before administration. In some cases the nursewill need to add the
potassium chloride and will use the medication calculation formula to determine the mL to be added.
,Formula:
Desired × mL
–––––––––––– = mL/dose
Available
30 mEq × 20 mL
–––––––––––––– = 15 mL
40 mEq
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
5) A health care provider's prescription reads clindamycin phosphate 0.3 g in 50 mL normal
saline (NS) to be administered intravenously over 30 minutes. The medicationlabel reads
clindamycin phosphate 900 mg in 6 mL. The nurse prepares how many milliliters of the
medication to administer the correct dose? Fill in the blank.
mL
Correct answer: 2 mL
Rationale:
You must convert 0.3 g to milligrams. In the metric system, to convert larger to smaller, multiply by
1000 or move the decimal 3 places to the right. Therefore, 0.3 g = 300 mg. Following conversion
from grams to milligrams, use the formula to calculate the correct dose.
Formula:
Desired × mL
–––––––––––– = mL/dose
Available
300 mg × 6 mL
–––––––––––––
900 mg
300 mg × 6 mL
= –––––––––––––– = 2 mL
900 mg
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
, 6) A health care provider's prescription reads phenytoin 0.2 g orally twice daily. The
medication label states that each capsule is 100 mg. The nurse prepares how many capsule(s)
to administer 1 dose? Fill in the blank.
capsules
Correct answer: 2 capsules
Rationale:
You must convert 0.2 g to milligrams. In the metric system, to convert larger to smaller,multiply by
1000 or move the decimal point 3 places to the right. Therefore, 0.2 g equals 200 mg. After
conversion from grams to milligrams, use the formula to calculate the correct dose.
Formula:
Desired × Capsule(s)
–––––––––––––––––––– = Capsule(s)/doseAvailable
200 mg × 1 Capsule
–––––––––––––––––– = 2 Capsules
100 mg
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
7) A health care provider prescribes 1000 mL of normal saline 0.9% to infuse over 8 hours.
The drop factor is 15 drops (gtt)/1 mL. The nurse sets the flow rate at how manydrops per minute?
Fill in the blank. Record your answer to the nearest whole number.
drops per minute
Correct answer: 31 drops per minute
Rationale:
Use the intravenous (IV) flow rate formula.
Formula:
Total volume × Drop factor
–––––––––––––––––––––––––– = gtt/min
Time in minutes
1000 mL × 15 gtt 15,000
–––––––––––––––– = –––––– = 31.2 gtt/min
480 minutes 480
Medications/IV Calculation
1) The nurse is completing a time tape for a 1000-mL intravenous (IV) bag that is scheduled
to infuse over 8 hours. The nurse has just placed the 1100 marking at the 500-mL level. The
nurse would place the mark for 1200 at which numerical level (mL)on the time tape? Fill in the
blank.
Correct answer: 375 mL
Rationale:
If the IV is scheduled to run over 8 hours, the hourly rate is 125 mL/hour. Using 500 mLas the
reference point, the next hourly marking would be at 375 mL, which is 125 mL less than 500.
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
2) A health care provider's prescription reads 1000 mL of normal saline (NS) to infuse over 12
hours. The drop factor is 15 drops (gtt)/1 mL. The nurse prepares to set the flowrate at how many
drops per minute? Fill in the blank. Record your answer to the nearest whole number.
drops per minute
Correct answer: 21 drops per minute
Rationale:
Use the intravenous (IV) flow rate formula.
Formula:
Total volume × Drop factor
–––––––––––––––––––––––––– = gtt/min
Time in minutes
1000 mL × 15 gtt 15,000
–––––––––––––––– = –––––– = 20.8 gtt/min
720 minutes 720
= 21 gtt/min
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
,Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
3) A health care provider's prescription reads to administer an intravenous (IV) dose of400,000
units of penicillin G benzathine. The label on the 10-mL ampule sent from thepharmacy reads
penicillin G benzathine, 300,000 units/mL. The nurse prepares how much medication to
administer the correct dose? Fill in the blank. Record your answer using 1 decimal place.
mL
Correct answer: 1.3 mL
Rationale:
Use the medication dose formula.
Formula:
Desired × mL
–––––––––––– = mL/dose
Available
400,000 units × 1 mL
–––––––––––––––––––– = mL/dose
300,000 units
400,000 units
––––––––––––– = 1.33 = 1.3 mL
300,000 units
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
4) A health care provider's prescription reads potassium chloride 30 mEq to be added to1000 mL
normal saline (NS) and to be administered over a 10-hour period. The label on the medication
bottle reads 40 mEq/20 mL. The nurse prepares how many milliliters of potassium chloride to
administer the correct dose of medication? Fill in the blank.
mL
Correct answer: 15 mL
Rationale:
In most facilities, potassium chloride is premixed in the intravenous solution and the nurse will need
to verify the correct dose before administration. In some cases the nursewill need to add the
potassium chloride and will use the medication calculation formula to determine the mL to be added.
,Formula:
Desired × mL
–––––––––––– = mL/dose
Available
30 mEq × 20 mL
–––––––––––––– = 15 mL
40 mEq
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
5) A health care provider's prescription reads clindamycin phosphate 0.3 g in 50 mL normal
saline (NS) to be administered intravenously over 30 minutes. The medicationlabel reads
clindamycin phosphate 900 mg in 6 mL. The nurse prepares how many milliliters of the
medication to administer the correct dose? Fill in the blank.
mL
Correct answer: 2 mL
Rationale:
You must convert 0.3 g to milligrams. In the metric system, to convert larger to smaller, multiply by
1000 or move the decimal 3 places to the right. Therefore, 0.3 g = 300 mg. Following conversion
from grams to milligrams, use the formula to calculate the correct dose.
Formula:
Desired × mL
–––––––––––– = mL/dose
Available
300 mg × 6 mL
–––––––––––––
900 mg
300 mg × 6 mL
= –––––––––––––– = 2 mL
900 mg
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
, 6) A health care provider's prescription reads phenytoin 0.2 g orally twice daily. The
medication label states that each capsule is 100 mg. The nurse prepares how many capsule(s)
to administer 1 dose? Fill in the blank.
capsules
Correct answer: 2 capsules
Rationale:
You must convert 0.2 g to milligrams. In the metric system, to convert larger to smaller,multiply by
1000 or move the decimal point 3 places to the right. Therefore, 0.2 g equals 200 mg. After
conversion from grams to milligrams, use the formula to calculate the correct dose.
Formula:
Desired × Capsule(s)
–––––––––––––––––––– = Capsule(s)/doseAvailable
200 mg × 1 Capsule
–––––––––––––––––– = 2 Capsules
100 mg
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Physiological Integrity
Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Implementation
Content Area: Fundamentals of Care: Medication/IV Calculations
Strategy(ies): Subject
Priority Concepts: Clinical Judgment, Safety
7) A health care provider prescribes 1000 mL of normal saline 0.9% to infuse over 8 hours.
The drop factor is 15 drops (gtt)/1 mL. The nurse sets the flow rate at how manydrops per minute?
Fill in the blank. Record your answer to the nearest whole number.
drops per minute
Correct answer: 31 drops per minute
Rationale:
Use the intravenous (IV) flow rate formula.
Formula:
Total volume × Drop factor
–––––––––––––––––––––––––– = gtt/min
Time in minutes
1000 mL × 15 gtt 15,000
–––––––––––––––– = –––––– = 31.2 gtt/min
480 minutes 480
