HESI DOSAGE CALCULATIONS
PRACTICE EXAM, HESI
PHARMACOLOGY REVIEW/251
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES (A+)
A client with cardiogenic shock weighs 220 lb and is
receiving dopamine at the rate of 3 mcg/kg/minute.
The solution strength available is dopamine 400 mg
in 250 ml of D5W. The nurse should set the infusion
pump to deliver how many ml/hours? (Enter numeric
value only. If rounding is required, round to the
nearest tenth.) - √Answer>11.3
First, convert pounds to kg, 220 lb : X = 2.2 lb : 1 kg
= 100 kg. Next, calculate the dosage per minute, 3
mcg/kg/min x 100 kg = 300 mcg/min. Convert
mcg/min to mcg/hour, 300 mcg/min x 60 min=18,000
mcg/hour. Convert mcg/hr to mg/hour, 18,000
mcg/hr = 18.0 mg/hour. Calculate the rate, 400 mg :
250 ml = 18 mg : X ml 400X = 4500 X = 11.25 =
11.3 ml. So, 18 mg/11.3 ml should be infused at
11.3 ml/hour.
,>Quiz: A client with hypertension who weighs 72.4
kg is receiving an infusion of nitroprusside (Nitride)
50 mg in D5W 250 ml at 75 ml/hour. How many
mcg/kg/minutes is the client receiving? (Enter
numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to
the nearest tenth.) - √Answer>3.5
Calculate the mg/hour infusing, 50 mg : 250 ml = X :
75 ml 250X = 3750 and X = 15 mg/hour. Next,
convert mg/hr to mcg/hour, 15 mg/hour = 1 mg /
1000 mcg = 15,000 mcg/hour, then divide by 60 min
= 250 mcg/minute. Lastly, 250 mcg/72.4 kg/min =
3.45 = 3.5 mcg/kg/minute.
>Quiz: A client who weighs 70 kg is receiving a
dopamine solution of 800 mg/500 ml normal saline
at 5 ml/hour. How many mcg/kg/minutes is the client
receiving? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is
required, round to the nearest tenth.) - √Answer>1.9
To change ml/hour to mcg/kg/minute, use the
formula: desired rate (5 ml/hour) / volume available
(500 ml) x dose available (800 mg) = 8 mg/hour.
Next, convert milligrams/hour to mcg/kg/minute: mg
(8) x 1000 / kg (70) / 60 minutes = 1.904 = 1.9
mcg/kg/minute.
,>Quiz: A client is receiving an IV solution of sodium
chloride 0.9% (Normal Saline) 250 ml with
amiodarone (Cardamone) 1 gram at 17 ml/hour.
How many mg/minutes of amiodarone is infusing?
(Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required,
round to the nearest tenth.) - √Answer>Convert
grams to mg, 1 gram equals 1,000 mg. Using ratio
and proportion - 1,000 mg : 250 ml :: X mg : 1ml
250X= 1,000 so X = 4 mg/ml is the solution
concentration of amiodarone. The infusion rate
(ml/hour) x concentration (mg/ml) divided by 60
minutes/hour 17 ml/hour x 4 mg/ml = 68/60 = 1.13 =
1.1 mg/minute.
>Quiz: A client who weighs 176 pounds is receiving
an IV infusion with esmolol hydrochloride (Brevibloc)
at 48 ml/hour. The IV solution is labelled with the
concentration of Brevibloc 10 mg/ml. How many
mcg/kg/minutes is the client receiving? (Enter
numeric value only.) - √Answer>100
Convert pounds to kg by dividing 176 pounds by 2.2
pounds = 80 kg. Convert the IV concentration from
mg to mcg. 1 mg : 1000 mcg :: 10 mg : 10,000 mcg.
Infusion rate (48 ml/hour) x concentration (10,000
mcg/ml) divided by 60 minutes/hour x 80 kg = 48 x
10,000 divided by 60 x 80 = 480, = 100
mcg/kg/minute.
, >Quiz: The nurse is preparing the change-of-shift
report for a client who has a 265 ml secondary
infusion that was started 2 hours ago at a rate of 85
ml/hour via an infusion pump. The nurse should
report that how many ml remain to be infused by the
on-coming nurse? (Enter numeric value only.) -
√Answer>95
85 ml x 2 hours = 170 ml has infused. 265 ml (total
amount to be infused) - 170 ml (amount infused) =
95 ml remain to be infused.
>Quiz: A male client receives a prescription for
ondansetron hydrochloride (Zofran) 4 mg IV to
prevent postoperative nausea after an inguinal
hernia repair. The medication is available in 2 mg/ml.
How many ml should the nurse administer? (Enter
numeric value only.) - √Answer>2
Use ratio and proportion, 4 mg : X ml = 2 mg : 1 ml
2X = 4 X = 2
>Quiz: The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis
B Vaccine, Recombinant (Energex-B) 5 mcg IM to a
school-aged child. The vaccine is labelled, 10
mcg/ml. How many ml should the nurse administer?
PRACTICE EXAM, HESI
PHARMACOLOGY REVIEW/251
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES (A+)
A client with cardiogenic shock weighs 220 lb and is
receiving dopamine at the rate of 3 mcg/kg/minute.
The solution strength available is dopamine 400 mg
in 250 ml of D5W. The nurse should set the infusion
pump to deliver how many ml/hours? (Enter numeric
value only. If rounding is required, round to the
nearest tenth.) - √Answer>11.3
First, convert pounds to kg, 220 lb : X = 2.2 lb : 1 kg
= 100 kg. Next, calculate the dosage per minute, 3
mcg/kg/min x 100 kg = 300 mcg/min. Convert
mcg/min to mcg/hour, 300 mcg/min x 60 min=18,000
mcg/hour. Convert mcg/hr to mg/hour, 18,000
mcg/hr = 18.0 mg/hour. Calculate the rate, 400 mg :
250 ml = 18 mg : X ml 400X = 4500 X = 11.25 =
11.3 ml. So, 18 mg/11.3 ml should be infused at
11.3 ml/hour.
,>Quiz: A client with hypertension who weighs 72.4
kg is receiving an infusion of nitroprusside (Nitride)
50 mg in D5W 250 ml at 75 ml/hour. How many
mcg/kg/minutes is the client receiving? (Enter
numeric value only. If rounding is required, round to
the nearest tenth.) - √Answer>3.5
Calculate the mg/hour infusing, 50 mg : 250 ml = X :
75 ml 250X = 3750 and X = 15 mg/hour. Next,
convert mg/hr to mcg/hour, 15 mg/hour = 1 mg /
1000 mcg = 15,000 mcg/hour, then divide by 60 min
= 250 mcg/minute. Lastly, 250 mcg/72.4 kg/min =
3.45 = 3.5 mcg/kg/minute.
>Quiz: A client who weighs 70 kg is receiving a
dopamine solution of 800 mg/500 ml normal saline
at 5 ml/hour. How many mcg/kg/minutes is the client
receiving? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is
required, round to the nearest tenth.) - √Answer>1.9
To change ml/hour to mcg/kg/minute, use the
formula: desired rate (5 ml/hour) / volume available
(500 ml) x dose available (800 mg) = 8 mg/hour.
Next, convert milligrams/hour to mcg/kg/minute: mg
(8) x 1000 / kg (70) / 60 minutes = 1.904 = 1.9
mcg/kg/minute.
,>Quiz: A client is receiving an IV solution of sodium
chloride 0.9% (Normal Saline) 250 ml with
amiodarone (Cardamone) 1 gram at 17 ml/hour.
How many mg/minutes of amiodarone is infusing?
(Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required,
round to the nearest tenth.) - √Answer>Convert
grams to mg, 1 gram equals 1,000 mg. Using ratio
and proportion - 1,000 mg : 250 ml :: X mg : 1ml
250X= 1,000 so X = 4 mg/ml is the solution
concentration of amiodarone. The infusion rate
(ml/hour) x concentration (mg/ml) divided by 60
minutes/hour 17 ml/hour x 4 mg/ml = 68/60 = 1.13 =
1.1 mg/minute.
>Quiz: A client who weighs 176 pounds is receiving
an IV infusion with esmolol hydrochloride (Brevibloc)
at 48 ml/hour. The IV solution is labelled with the
concentration of Brevibloc 10 mg/ml. How many
mcg/kg/minutes is the client receiving? (Enter
numeric value only.) - √Answer>100
Convert pounds to kg by dividing 176 pounds by 2.2
pounds = 80 kg. Convert the IV concentration from
mg to mcg. 1 mg : 1000 mcg :: 10 mg : 10,000 mcg.
Infusion rate (48 ml/hour) x concentration (10,000
mcg/ml) divided by 60 minutes/hour x 80 kg = 48 x
10,000 divided by 60 x 80 = 480, = 100
mcg/kg/minute.
, >Quiz: The nurse is preparing the change-of-shift
report for a client who has a 265 ml secondary
infusion that was started 2 hours ago at a rate of 85
ml/hour via an infusion pump. The nurse should
report that how many ml remain to be infused by the
on-coming nurse? (Enter numeric value only.) -
√Answer>95
85 ml x 2 hours = 170 ml has infused. 265 ml (total
amount to be infused) - 170 ml (amount infused) =
95 ml remain to be infused.
>Quiz: A male client receives a prescription for
ondansetron hydrochloride (Zofran) 4 mg IV to
prevent postoperative nausea after an inguinal
hernia repair. The medication is available in 2 mg/ml.
How many ml should the nurse administer? (Enter
numeric value only.) - √Answer>2
Use ratio and proportion, 4 mg : X ml = 2 mg : 1 ml
2X = 4 X = 2
>Quiz: The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis
B Vaccine, Recombinant (Energex-B) 5 mcg IM to a
school-aged child. The vaccine is labelled, 10
mcg/ml. How many ml should the nurse administer?
