DOSAGE CALCULATIONS HESI STUDY
GUIDE 2026 COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
◉A client with hypertension who weighs 72.4 kg is receiving an
infusion of nitroprusside (Nipride) 50 mg in D5W 250 ml at 75
ml/hour. How many mcg/kg/minute 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.
◉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/minute
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.
,◉A client is receiving an IV solution of sodium chloride 0.9%
(Normal Saline) 250 ml with amiodarone (Cordarone) 1 gram at 17
ml/hour. How many mg/minute 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.
◉A client who weighs 176 pounds is receiving an IV infusion with
esmolol hydrochloride (Brevibloc) at 48 ml/hour. The IV solution is
labeled with the concentration of Brevibloc 10 mg/ml. How many
mcg/kg/minute 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.
◉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.
◉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
◉The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis B Vaccine,
Recombinant (Energix-B) 5 mcg IM to a school-aged child. The
vaccine is labeled, 10 mcg/ml. How many ml should the nurse
administer? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required,
round to the nearest tenth).. Answer: 1 or 0.5
Use ratio and proportion, 5 mcg : X ml :: 10 mcg : 1ml
10X = 5 X = 0.5 ml
◉A client's daily PO prescription for aripiprazole (Abilify) is
increased from 15 mg to 30 mg. The medication is available in 15 mg
, tablets, and the client already received one tablet today. How many
additional tablets should the nurse administer so the client receives
the total newly prescribed dose for the day? (Enter numeric value
only.). Answer: 1
30 mg (total dose) - 15 mg (dose already administered) = 15 mg that
still needs to be administered. Using the Desired/Have formula: 15
mg/15 mg = 1 tablet
◉At the end of the shift, the nurse is recording the fluid balance for a
client receiving a continuous gastrostomy tube (GT) feeding. Based
on the client's records, how many ml should the nurse record for the
total fluid balance (intake - output) for the shift that started at 0700
and ended at 1900? (Enter numeric value only.) (Click on each image
asset for additional information.). Answer: 695
The tube feeding is administered at 75 ml/hour for 11 hours (0700 -
1800) and then turned off for one hour because the residual is
greater than 200 ml. 11 hours x 75 ml/hr = 825 ml. Three doses of
20 ml of medication are administered, with 10 ml of water used to
flush the GT before and after each dose. 20 ml x 3 doses = 60 ml; 10
ml (flush) x 2 x 3 doses = 60 ml; so 825 ml + 60 ml + 60 ml = 945 ml.
250 ml of residual is removed and not replaced. 945 ml - 250 ml =
695 ml total fluid balance (Intake - output).
◉The nurse is administering a 250 milliliter (ml) intravenous
solution to be infused over 2 hours. How many ml/hour should the
GUIDE 2026 COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
◉A client with hypertension who weighs 72.4 kg is receiving an
infusion of nitroprusside (Nipride) 50 mg in D5W 250 ml at 75
ml/hour. How many mcg/kg/minute 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.
◉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/minute
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.
,◉A client is receiving an IV solution of sodium chloride 0.9%
(Normal Saline) 250 ml with amiodarone (Cordarone) 1 gram at 17
ml/hour. How many mg/minute 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.
◉A client who weighs 176 pounds is receiving an IV infusion with
esmolol hydrochloride (Brevibloc) at 48 ml/hour. The IV solution is
labeled with the concentration of Brevibloc 10 mg/ml. How many
mcg/kg/minute 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.
◉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.
◉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
◉The nurse is preparing to administer Hepatitis B Vaccine,
Recombinant (Energix-B) 5 mcg IM to a school-aged child. The
vaccine is labeled, 10 mcg/ml. How many ml should the nurse
administer? (Enter numeric value only. If rounding is required,
round to the nearest tenth).. Answer: 1 or 0.5
Use ratio and proportion, 5 mcg : X ml :: 10 mcg : 1ml
10X = 5 X = 0.5 ml
◉A client's daily PO prescription for aripiprazole (Abilify) is
increased from 15 mg to 30 mg. The medication is available in 15 mg
, tablets, and the client already received one tablet today. How many
additional tablets should the nurse administer so the client receives
the total newly prescribed dose for the day? (Enter numeric value
only.). Answer: 1
30 mg (total dose) - 15 mg (dose already administered) = 15 mg that
still needs to be administered. Using the Desired/Have formula: 15
mg/15 mg = 1 tablet
◉At the end of the shift, the nurse is recording the fluid balance for a
client receiving a continuous gastrostomy tube (GT) feeding. Based
on the client's records, how many ml should the nurse record for the
total fluid balance (intake - output) for the shift that started at 0700
and ended at 1900? (Enter numeric value only.) (Click on each image
asset for additional information.). Answer: 695
The tube feeding is administered at 75 ml/hour for 11 hours (0700 -
1800) and then turned off for one hour because the residual is
greater than 200 ml. 11 hours x 75 ml/hr = 825 ml. Three doses of
20 ml of medication are administered, with 10 ml of water used to
flush the GT before and after each dose. 20 ml x 3 doses = 60 ml; 10
ml (flush) x 2 x 3 doses = 60 ml; so 825 ml + 60 ml + 60 ml = 945 ml.
250 ml of residual is removed and not replaced. 945 ml - 250 ml =
695 ml total fluid balance (Intake - output).
◉The nurse is administering a 250 milliliter (ml) intravenous
solution to be infused over 2 hours. How many ml/hour should the
