NCNZ Competency Assessment Exam 160
REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS/
ALREADY GRADED A+ (BRAND NEW
VERSION!!)
Part A: Medication Safety & Calculations
Q1. A patient has been prescribed morphine 8mg 2-3 hourly
PRN for pain. Unit stock of morphine is 10mg/1mL. How
much morphine should be drawn up for the patient?
A. 0.08mL
B. 0.25mL
C. 0.8mL
D. 0.75mL
Rationale: To calculate, use the formula: (What you want / What
you have) x Volume. (8mg / 10mg) x 1mL = 0.8mL.
Q2. A child weighs 22.4kg. The prescription is for 24mg/kg of
body weight. The medication comes at a strength of
50mg/mL. How many mL should the child receive?
A. 7.5mL
B. 10.8mL
C. 9.8mL
D. 8.5mL
Rationale: First calculate the total dose: 22.4kg x 24mg/kg =
,537.6mg. Then calculate the volume: (537.6mg / 50mg) x 1mL =
10.75mL, which rounds to 10.8mL.
Q3. A patient is prescribed 250mg of antibiotics in 200mL of
intravenous fluid over 30 minutes. What is the correct rate in
mL per hour to set the infusion device?
A. 100mL per hour
B. 200mL per hour
C. 400mL per hour
D. 500mL per hour
Rationale: If 200mL is to be given over 30 minutes, the rate for a
full hour would be 200mL x 2 = 400mL/hour.
Q4. A patient is to receive 1000mL of IV fluids over 8 hours.
The giving set delivers 20 drops/mL. What is the flow rate in
drops per minute (dpm)?
A. 21 dpm
B. 31 dpm
C. 42 dpm
D. 62 dpm
Rationale: Flow rate (dpm) = (Volume (mL) x drop factor) / time
(minutes) = (1000mL x 20 dpm) / 480 minutes = =
41.7, which rounds to 42 dpm. *Correction: The correct calculation
is 41.7 dpm, rounding to 42 dpm. However, if 62 dpm was the
intended choice, it may refer to a different set of parameters.
Always double-check your calculations.*
Q5. Ondansetron 2mg has been prescribed for a child who
weighs 13.6kg. The safe dosage is 0.15mg/kg. Is 2mg a safe
dose?
A. No, a safe dose would be 0.3mg.
,B. No, a safe dose would be 0.6mg.
C. No, a safe dose would be 1.02mg.
D. Yes, 2mg is a safe dose.
Rationale: The safe dose for this child is 13.6kg x 0.15mg/kg =
2.04mg. The prescribed dose of 2mg is below this, making it
safe. Correction: The calculation shows the prescribed dose is safe.
The correct safe dose should be 2.04mg. C is incorrect; D is correct.
Q6. A patient is ordered 500mL of 0.9% Normal Saline to be
infused over 4 hours. How many mL per hour will you set on
the pump?
A. 100 mL/hr
B. 125 mL/hr
C. 150 mL/hr
D. 250 mL/hr
Rationale: Total volume (500mL) divided by total time (4 hours)
equals 125mL/hr.
Q7. A patient is prescribed Digoxin 0.25mg orally. The
available tablets are 0.125mg. How many tablets will you
administer?
A. 0.5 tablets
B. 1 tablet
C. 2 tablets
D. 4 tablets
Rationale: Desired dose (0.25mg) divided by dose on hand
(0.125mg) = 2 tablets.
Q8. How many milligrams are in 0.2 grams?
A. 2mg
B. 20mg
, C. 200mg
D. 2000mg
Rationale: 1 gram = 1000 milligrams, so 0.2g x 1000 = 200mg.
Q9. An IV bag containing 1000mL of fluid has been prescribed
to run over 12 hours. The drop factor is 15 drops/mL. What is
the drip rate in drops per minute?
A. 15 dpm
B. 21 dpm
C. 42 dpm
D. 84 dpm
Rationale: Total minutes = 12 hrs x 60 = 720 minutes. Drip rate =
(1000mL x 15 gtts/mL) / 720 min = = 20.8 ≈ 21
dpm. *Correction: Apologies, the correct answer is 21 dpm (B). My
previous calculation was off. Always double-check!*
Q10. A patient is prescribed 150mg of a medication. The
syrup contains 50mg per 5mL. How many mL should you
administer?
A. 5mL
B. 10mL
C. 15mL
D. 20mL
Rationale: (150mg / 50mg) x 5mL = 3 x 5mL = 15mL.
Q11. A patient is prescribed 1g of Paracetamol. Stock is
500mg tablets. How many tablets do you give?
A. 1 tablet
B. 2 tablets
C. 3 tablets
REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS/
ALREADY GRADED A+ (BRAND NEW
VERSION!!)
Part A: Medication Safety & Calculations
Q1. A patient has been prescribed morphine 8mg 2-3 hourly
PRN for pain. Unit stock of morphine is 10mg/1mL. How
much morphine should be drawn up for the patient?
A. 0.08mL
B. 0.25mL
C. 0.8mL
D. 0.75mL
Rationale: To calculate, use the formula: (What you want / What
you have) x Volume. (8mg / 10mg) x 1mL = 0.8mL.
Q2. A child weighs 22.4kg. The prescription is for 24mg/kg of
body weight. The medication comes at a strength of
50mg/mL. How many mL should the child receive?
A. 7.5mL
B. 10.8mL
C. 9.8mL
D. 8.5mL
Rationale: First calculate the total dose: 22.4kg x 24mg/kg =
,537.6mg. Then calculate the volume: (537.6mg / 50mg) x 1mL =
10.75mL, which rounds to 10.8mL.
Q3. A patient is prescribed 250mg of antibiotics in 200mL of
intravenous fluid over 30 minutes. What is the correct rate in
mL per hour to set the infusion device?
A. 100mL per hour
B. 200mL per hour
C. 400mL per hour
D. 500mL per hour
Rationale: If 200mL is to be given over 30 minutes, the rate for a
full hour would be 200mL x 2 = 400mL/hour.
Q4. A patient is to receive 1000mL of IV fluids over 8 hours.
The giving set delivers 20 drops/mL. What is the flow rate in
drops per minute (dpm)?
A. 21 dpm
B. 31 dpm
C. 42 dpm
D. 62 dpm
Rationale: Flow rate (dpm) = (Volume (mL) x drop factor) / time
(minutes) = (1000mL x 20 dpm) / 480 minutes = =
41.7, which rounds to 42 dpm. *Correction: The correct calculation
is 41.7 dpm, rounding to 42 dpm. However, if 62 dpm was the
intended choice, it may refer to a different set of parameters.
Always double-check your calculations.*
Q5. Ondansetron 2mg has been prescribed for a child who
weighs 13.6kg. The safe dosage is 0.15mg/kg. Is 2mg a safe
dose?
A. No, a safe dose would be 0.3mg.
,B. No, a safe dose would be 0.6mg.
C. No, a safe dose would be 1.02mg.
D. Yes, 2mg is a safe dose.
Rationale: The safe dose for this child is 13.6kg x 0.15mg/kg =
2.04mg. The prescribed dose of 2mg is below this, making it
safe. Correction: The calculation shows the prescribed dose is safe.
The correct safe dose should be 2.04mg. C is incorrect; D is correct.
Q6. A patient is ordered 500mL of 0.9% Normal Saline to be
infused over 4 hours. How many mL per hour will you set on
the pump?
A. 100 mL/hr
B. 125 mL/hr
C. 150 mL/hr
D. 250 mL/hr
Rationale: Total volume (500mL) divided by total time (4 hours)
equals 125mL/hr.
Q7. A patient is prescribed Digoxin 0.25mg orally. The
available tablets are 0.125mg. How many tablets will you
administer?
A. 0.5 tablets
B. 1 tablet
C. 2 tablets
D. 4 tablets
Rationale: Desired dose (0.25mg) divided by dose on hand
(0.125mg) = 2 tablets.
Q8. How many milligrams are in 0.2 grams?
A. 2mg
B. 20mg
, C. 200mg
D. 2000mg
Rationale: 1 gram = 1000 milligrams, so 0.2g x 1000 = 200mg.
Q9. An IV bag containing 1000mL of fluid has been prescribed
to run over 12 hours. The drop factor is 15 drops/mL. What is
the drip rate in drops per minute?
A. 15 dpm
B. 21 dpm
C. 42 dpm
D. 84 dpm
Rationale: Total minutes = 12 hrs x 60 = 720 minutes. Drip rate =
(1000mL x 15 gtts/mL) / 720 min = = 20.8 ≈ 21
dpm. *Correction: Apologies, the correct answer is 21 dpm (B). My
previous calculation was off. Always double-check!*
Q10. A patient is prescribed 150mg of a medication. The
syrup contains 50mg per 5mL. How many mL should you
administer?
A. 5mL
B. 10mL
C. 15mL
D. 20mL
Rationale: (150mg / 50mg) x 5mL = 3 x 5mL = 15mL.
Q11. A patient is prescribed 1g of Paracetamol. Stock is
500mg tablets. How many tablets do you give?
A. 1 tablet
B. 2 tablets
C. 3 tablets
