South Texas College
ADN Program
Dosage and Calculation
Module for Common Medical-Surgical Nursing
TABLE OF CONTENTS: PAGE
I. Abbreviation 2
II. Systems of Measurement 5
III. Methods of Calculations: Dimensional Analysis 8
IV. Reconstitution of Powdered Medications 14
V. IV Calculations 17
a. Flowrates 17
i. mL/h
ii. gtts/min
b. Infusion and Completion Time 21
c. Total Volume/Intake 23
d. Intermittent IV/Reconstitution 24
e. Special Medications 26
i. Hourly dosage
ii. Hourly rate (Flowrates)
VI. Insulin per Sliding Scale 29
Dosage and Calculation Module: Common & Complex Medical-Surgical Nursing
Revised 11/12/2015; Revised 05/05/2016; Revised 05/01/2017
1
,South Texas College
ADN Program
Module 1: Abbreviation
Objective:
Use abbreviations for the times and routes of drug administration as well as metric,
apothecary and household abbreviations and abbreviations for drug preparation.
Abbreviations of times of medications:
ABBREVIATION MEANING
ac Before meals
pc After meals
Daily Every day
bid Twice a day
tid Three times a day
qid Four times a day
qh Every hour
at bedtime At hour of sleep
stat immediately
q2h every 2 hours
q3h every 3 hours
q4h every 4 hours
prn if needed
Abbreviations for route of medications:
ABBREVIATION MEANING
HHN Hand-held nebulizer
IM Intramuscularly
IV Intravenously
IVP Intravenous Push
IVF Intravenous Fluid
IVPB Intravenous Piggyback
po (PO) By mouth
PR (pr) Per rectum
SL Sublingual
Subcut / SubQ Subcutaneous
Top Topical
Write out Right eye
Write out Left eye
Write out Both eyes
Dosage and Calculation Module: Common & Complex Medical-Surgical Nursing
Revised 11/12/2015; Revised 05/05/2016; Revised 05/01/2017
2
,South Texas College
ADN Program
OFFICIAL DO NOT USE LIST
Do Not Use Potential Problem Use Instead
U, u (unit) Mistaken for “0” (zero), the Write "unit"
number “4” (four) or “cc”
Mistaken for IV (intravenous) or
the number 10 (ten) Mistaken for
each other
IU (International Unit) Period after the Q mistaken for Write "International Unit"
"I" and the "O" mistaken for "I
Decimal point is missed
Q.D., QD, q.d., qd (daily) Can mean morphine sulfate or Write "daily" Write "every
magnesium sulfate other day"
Q.O.D., QOD, q.o.d, qod Confused for one another Write X mg
(every other day) Trailing Write 0.X mg
zero (X.0 mg)* Lack of Write "morphine sulfate"
leading zero (.X mg) MS Write "magnesium sulfate"
Source: The Joint Commission
Dosage and Calculation Module: Common & Complex Medical-Surgical Nursing
Revised 11/12/2015; Revised 05/05/2016; Revised 05/01/2017
3
, South Texas College
ADN Program
Exercises:
Directions: Explain what the statements mean in your own words.
1. Acetaminophen 120 mg po q4h PRN for Pain or for Temperature of above
102°F.
2. Nitroglycerine 0.4 mg SL stat and may repeat every 5 minutes x 3 if chest pain
continues.
3. Lovenox 1mg/kg/body weight subcut q12h.
4. Vasotec 5 mg IVP bid. Hold for systolic BP less than 100.
Dosage and Calculation Module: Common & Complex Medical-Surgical Nursing
Revised 11/12/2015; Revised 05/05/2016; Revised 05/01/2017
4
ADN Program
Dosage and Calculation
Module for Common Medical-Surgical Nursing
TABLE OF CONTENTS: PAGE
I. Abbreviation 2
II. Systems of Measurement 5
III. Methods of Calculations: Dimensional Analysis 8
IV. Reconstitution of Powdered Medications 14
V. IV Calculations 17
a. Flowrates 17
i. mL/h
ii. gtts/min
b. Infusion and Completion Time 21
c. Total Volume/Intake 23
d. Intermittent IV/Reconstitution 24
e. Special Medications 26
i. Hourly dosage
ii. Hourly rate (Flowrates)
VI. Insulin per Sliding Scale 29
Dosage and Calculation Module: Common & Complex Medical-Surgical Nursing
Revised 11/12/2015; Revised 05/05/2016; Revised 05/01/2017
1
,South Texas College
ADN Program
Module 1: Abbreviation
Objective:
Use abbreviations for the times and routes of drug administration as well as metric,
apothecary and household abbreviations and abbreviations for drug preparation.
Abbreviations of times of medications:
ABBREVIATION MEANING
ac Before meals
pc After meals
Daily Every day
bid Twice a day
tid Three times a day
qid Four times a day
qh Every hour
at bedtime At hour of sleep
stat immediately
q2h every 2 hours
q3h every 3 hours
q4h every 4 hours
prn if needed
Abbreviations for route of medications:
ABBREVIATION MEANING
HHN Hand-held nebulizer
IM Intramuscularly
IV Intravenously
IVP Intravenous Push
IVF Intravenous Fluid
IVPB Intravenous Piggyback
po (PO) By mouth
PR (pr) Per rectum
SL Sublingual
Subcut / SubQ Subcutaneous
Top Topical
Write out Right eye
Write out Left eye
Write out Both eyes
Dosage and Calculation Module: Common & Complex Medical-Surgical Nursing
Revised 11/12/2015; Revised 05/05/2016; Revised 05/01/2017
2
,South Texas College
ADN Program
OFFICIAL DO NOT USE LIST
Do Not Use Potential Problem Use Instead
U, u (unit) Mistaken for “0” (zero), the Write "unit"
number “4” (four) or “cc”
Mistaken for IV (intravenous) or
the number 10 (ten) Mistaken for
each other
IU (International Unit) Period after the Q mistaken for Write "International Unit"
"I" and the "O" mistaken for "I
Decimal point is missed
Q.D., QD, q.d., qd (daily) Can mean morphine sulfate or Write "daily" Write "every
magnesium sulfate other day"
Q.O.D., QOD, q.o.d, qod Confused for one another Write X mg
(every other day) Trailing Write 0.X mg
zero (X.0 mg)* Lack of Write "morphine sulfate"
leading zero (.X mg) MS Write "magnesium sulfate"
Source: The Joint Commission
Dosage and Calculation Module: Common & Complex Medical-Surgical Nursing
Revised 11/12/2015; Revised 05/05/2016; Revised 05/01/2017
3
, South Texas College
ADN Program
Exercises:
Directions: Explain what the statements mean in your own words.
1. Acetaminophen 120 mg po q4h PRN for Pain or for Temperature of above
102°F.
2. Nitroglycerine 0.4 mg SL stat and may repeat every 5 minutes x 3 if chest pain
continues.
3. Lovenox 1mg/kg/body weight subcut q12h.
4. Vasotec 5 mg IVP bid. Hold for systolic BP less than 100.
Dosage and Calculation Module: Common & Complex Medical-Surgical Nursing
Revised 11/12/2015; Revised 05/05/2016; Revised 05/01/2017
4
