ATI DOSAGE CALCULATION PN ADULT MEDICAL
SURGICAL PROCTORED ASSESSMENT 400 ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALE
ALREADY GRADED A+
This comprehensive document contains 400 multiple-choice questions
designed to prepare nursing students for the ATI Dosage Calculation PN
Adult Medical Surgical Proctored Assessment. The questions cover all
essential medication calculation domains including metric system conversions,
oral solid and liquid dosage calculations, parenteral (IM, IV, subcutaneous)
dosing, weight-based calculations, IV infusion rate determinations in mL/hr,
manual IV drip rate calculations in gtt/min using various drop factors, and
reconstitution of powdered medications. Each question provides four answer
choices with the correct answer identified and a detailed rationale explaining
the step-by-step mathematical solution, rounding requirements, and
applicable nursing considerations. This resource thoroughly prepares
practical nursing students for the types of calculations encountered in the ATI
proctored assessment for adult medical-surgical settings.
1. A nurse is preparing to administer dextrose 5% water (D5W) 250 mL IV to
infuse over 2 hr. The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver how many mL/hr?
(Round to the nearest whole number)
A) 100 mL/hr
B) 125 mL/hr
C) 150 mL/hr
D) 200 mL/hr
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The IV pump rate is calculated by dividing the total volume (250 mL)
by the total time in hours (2 hr). 250 mL ÷ 2 hr = 125 mL/hr .
2. A nurse is preparing to administer cefazolin 250 mg IM to a client. Available is
cefazolin powder 500 mg vial. The nurse reconstitutes the powder adding 2 mL of
sterile water to yield a final concentration of cefazolin 225 mg/mL. How many mL
should the nurse administer? (Round to the nearest tenth)
A) 0.9 mL
,B) 1.0 mL
C) 1.1 mL
D) 1.2 mL
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Volume = Desired dose ÷ Concentration. 250 mg ÷ 225 mg/mL = 1.111
mL. Rounded to the nearest tenth = 1.1 mL .
3. A nurse is preparing to administer ribavirin 600 mg PO every 12 hr. Available is
ribavirin 200 mg/tablet. How many tablets should the nurse administer per dose?
(Round to the nearest whole number)
A) 2 tablets
B) 3 tablets
C) 4 tablets
D) 5 tablets
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Number of tablets = Desired dose ÷ Dose on hand. 600 mg ÷ 200
mg/tablet = 3 tablets .
4. A nurse is preparing to administer furosemide 20 mg IM. Available is
furosemide injection 10 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse administer?
(Round to the nearest whole number)
A) 1 mL
B) 2 mL
C) 3 mL
D) 4 mL
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Volume = Desired dose ÷ Concentration. 20 mg ÷ 10 mg/mL = 2 mL .
5. A nurse is preparing to administer hydralazine 0.2 mg/kg IM to a client who
weighs 84 lb. Available is hydralazine 20 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer? (Round to the nearest hundredth)
A) 0.38 mL
B) 0.40 mL
C) 0.42 mL
D) 0.50 mL
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Convert pounds to kilograms: 84 lb ÷ 2.2 = 38.18 kg. Calculate dose:
0.2 mg/kg × 38.18 kg = 7.636 mg. Calculate volume: 7.636 mg ÷ 20 mg/mL =
0.3818 mL. Rounded to nearest hundredth = 0.38 mL .
,6. A nurse is preparing to administer cefazolin 500 mg IM to a client. Available is
cefazolin powder 500 mg vial. The nurse reconstitutes the powder adding 2 mL of
sterile water to yield a final concentration of cefazolin 225 mg/mL. How many mL
should the nurse administer? (Round to the nearest tenth)
A) 2.0 mL
B) 2.2 mL
C) 2.4 mL
D) 2.5 mL
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Volume = Desired dose ÷ Concentration. 500 mg ÷ 225 mg/mL = 2.222
mL. Rounded to nearest tenth = 2.2 mL .
7. A nurse in a long-term care facility is preparing to administer rivastigmine 3 mg
PO twice daily to a client who has Alzheimer's disease. Available is rivastigmine
1.5 mg/capsule. How many capsules should the nurse administer per dose? (Round
to the nearest whole number)
A) 1 capsule
B) 2 capsules
C) 3 capsules
D) 4 capsules
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Number of capsules = Desired dose ÷ Dose on hand. 3 mg ÷ 1.5
mg/capsule = 2 capsules .
8. A nurse is preparing to administer cefazolin 500 mg IM every 12 hr. Available is
cefazolin injection 330 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse administer per
dose? (Round to the nearest tenth)
A) 1.0 mL
B) 1.3 mL
C) 1.5 mL
D) 1.8 mL
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Volume = Desired dose ÷ Concentration. 500 mg ÷ 330 mg/mL = 1.515
mL. Rounded to nearest tenth = 1.5 mL .
9. The nurse is preparing to administer a 1,500 mL IV fluid bolus of 0.9% sodium
chloride to a client. How many liters should the nurse administer? (Round to the
nearest tenth)
A) 1.0 L
B) 1.5 L
, C) 2.0 L
D) 2.5 L
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Convert milliliters to liters: 1,500 mL ÷ 1,000 mL/L = 1.5 L .
10. A nurse is preparing to administer methylprednisolone acetate 0.05 g IM.
Available is methylprednisolone acetate injection 80 mg/mL. How many mL
should the nurse administer? (Round to the nearest hundredth)
A) 0.50 mL
B) 0.63 mL
C) 0.75 mL
D) 0.80 mL
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Convert grams to milligrams: 0.05 g × 1000 = 50 mg. Volume =
Desired dose ÷ Concentration = 50 mg ÷ 80 mg/mL = 0.625 mL. Rounded to
nearest hundredth = 0.63 mL .
11. A nurse is preparing to administer enoxaparin 30 mg subcutaneous to a client.
Available is enoxaparin injection 60 mg/0.6 mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer? (Round to the nearest tenth)
A) 0.1 mL
B) 0.2 mL
C) 0.3 mL
D) 0.4 mL
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Set up proportion: 60 mg/0.6 mL = 30 mg/X mL. Cross multiply: 60X =
18. X = 18 ÷ 60 = 0.3 mL .
12. A nurse is preparing to administer metoclopramide 10 mg PO every 6 hr.
Available is metoclopramide 5 mg tablets. How many tablets should the nurse
administer per dose? (Round to the nearest whole number)
A) 1 tablet
B) 2 tablets
C) 3 tablets
D) 4 tablets
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Number of tablets = Desired dose ÷ Dose on hand = 10 mg ÷ 5
mg/tablet = 2 tablets .
SURGICAL PROCTORED ASSESSMENT 400 ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS WITH RATIONALE
ALREADY GRADED A+
This comprehensive document contains 400 multiple-choice questions
designed to prepare nursing students for the ATI Dosage Calculation PN
Adult Medical Surgical Proctored Assessment. The questions cover all
essential medication calculation domains including metric system conversions,
oral solid and liquid dosage calculations, parenteral (IM, IV, subcutaneous)
dosing, weight-based calculations, IV infusion rate determinations in mL/hr,
manual IV drip rate calculations in gtt/min using various drop factors, and
reconstitution of powdered medications. Each question provides four answer
choices with the correct answer identified and a detailed rationale explaining
the step-by-step mathematical solution, rounding requirements, and
applicable nursing considerations. This resource thoroughly prepares
practical nursing students for the types of calculations encountered in the ATI
proctored assessment for adult medical-surgical settings.
1. A nurse is preparing to administer dextrose 5% water (D5W) 250 mL IV to
infuse over 2 hr. The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver how many mL/hr?
(Round to the nearest whole number)
A) 100 mL/hr
B) 125 mL/hr
C) 150 mL/hr
D) 200 mL/hr
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The IV pump rate is calculated by dividing the total volume (250 mL)
by the total time in hours (2 hr). 250 mL ÷ 2 hr = 125 mL/hr .
2. A nurse is preparing to administer cefazolin 250 mg IM to a client. Available is
cefazolin powder 500 mg vial. The nurse reconstitutes the powder adding 2 mL of
sterile water to yield a final concentration of cefazolin 225 mg/mL. How many mL
should the nurse administer? (Round to the nearest tenth)
A) 0.9 mL
,B) 1.0 mL
C) 1.1 mL
D) 1.2 mL
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Volume = Desired dose ÷ Concentration. 250 mg ÷ 225 mg/mL = 1.111
mL. Rounded to the nearest tenth = 1.1 mL .
3. A nurse is preparing to administer ribavirin 600 mg PO every 12 hr. Available is
ribavirin 200 mg/tablet. How many tablets should the nurse administer per dose?
(Round to the nearest whole number)
A) 2 tablets
B) 3 tablets
C) 4 tablets
D) 5 tablets
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Number of tablets = Desired dose ÷ Dose on hand. 600 mg ÷ 200
mg/tablet = 3 tablets .
4. A nurse is preparing to administer furosemide 20 mg IM. Available is
furosemide injection 10 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse administer?
(Round to the nearest whole number)
A) 1 mL
B) 2 mL
C) 3 mL
D) 4 mL
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Volume = Desired dose ÷ Concentration. 20 mg ÷ 10 mg/mL = 2 mL .
5. A nurse is preparing to administer hydralazine 0.2 mg/kg IM to a client who
weighs 84 lb. Available is hydralazine 20 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer? (Round to the nearest hundredth)
A) 0.38 mL
B) 0.40 mL
C) 0.42 mL
D) 0.50 mL
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Convert pounds to kilograms: 84 lb ÷ 2.2 = 38.18 kg. Calculate dose:
0.2 mg/kg × 38.18 kg = 7.636 mg. Calculate volume: 7.636 mg ÷ 20 mg/mL =
0.3818 mL. Rounded to nearest hundredth = 0.38 mL .
,6. A nurse is preparing to administer cefazolin 500 mg IM to a client. Available is
cefazolin powder 500 mg vial. The nurse reconstitutes the powder adding 2 mL of
sterile water to yield a final concentration of cefazolin 225 mg/mL. How many mL
should the nurse administer? (Round to the nearest tenth)
A) 2.0 mL
B) 2.2 mL
C) 2.4 mL
D) 2.5 mL
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Volume = Desired dose ÷ Concentration. 500 mg ÷ 225 mg/mL = 2.222
mL. Rounded to nearest tenth = 2.2 mL .
7. A nurse in a long-term care facility is preparing to administer rivastigmine 3 mg
PO twice daily to a client who has Alzheimer's disease. Available is rivastigmine
1.5 mg/capsule. How many capsules should the nurse administer per dose? (Round
to the nearest whole number)
A) 1 capsule
B) 2 capsules
C) 3 capsules
D) 4 capsules
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Number of capsules = Desired dose ÷ Dose on hand. 3 mg ÷ 1.5
mg/capsule = 2 capsules .
8. A nurse is preparing to administer cefazolin 500 mg IM every 12 hr. Available is
cefazolin injection 330 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse administer per
dose? (Round to the nearest tenth)
A) 1.0 mL
B) 1.3 mL
C) 1.5 mL
D) 1.8 mL
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Volume = Desired dose ÷ Concentration. 500 mg ÷ 330 mg/mL = 1.515
mL. Rounded to nearest tenth = 1.5 mL .
9. The nurse is preparing to administer a 1,500 mL IV fluid bolus of 0.9% sodium
chloride to a client. How many liters should the nurse administer? (Round to the
nearest tenth)
A) 1.0 L
B) 1.5 L
, C) 2.0 L
D) 2.5 L
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Convert milliliters to liters: 1,500 mL ÷ 1,000 mL/L = 1.5 L .
10. A nurse is preparing to administer methylprednisolone acetate 0.05 g IM.
Available is methylprednisolone acetate injection 80 mg/mL. How many mL
should the nurse administer? (Round to the nearest hundredth)
A) 0.50 mL
B) 0.63 mL
C) 0.75 mL
D) 0.80 mL
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Convert grams to milligrams: 0.05 g × 1000 = 50 mg. Volume =
Desired dose ÷ Concentration = 50 mg ÷ 80 mg/mL = 0.625 mL. Rounded to
nearest hundredth = 0.63 mL .
11. A nurse is preparing to administer enoxaparin 30 mg subcutaneous to a client.
Available is enoxaparin injection 60 mg/0.6 mL. How many mL should the nurse
administer? (Round to the nearest tenth)
A) 0.1 mL
B) 0.2 mL
C) 0.3 mL
D) 0.4 mL
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Set up proportion: 60 mg/0.6 mL = 30 mg/X mL. Cross multiply: 60X =
18. X = 18 ÷ 60 = 0.3 mL .
12. A nurse is preparing to administer metoclopramide 10 mg PO every 6 hr.
Available is metoclopramide 5 mg tablets. How many tablets should the nurse
administer per dose? (Round to the nearest whole number)
A) 1 tablet
B) 2 tablets
C) 3 tablets
D) 4 tablets
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Number of tablets = Desired dose ÷ Dose on hand = 10 mg ÷ 5
mg/tablet = 2 tablets .
