1

Medication Calculation Practice Problems

LEVEL II, III and IV
1. The order reads for digoxin 0.125 mg IM daily. Available to the nurse is digo
xin 0.25 mg/ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's?
2. The order is for 60 mg of furosemide (Lasix) po daily. Available to the nurse
is Lasix 40 mg/tablet. The nurse would administer how many tablets?
3. The physician orders phenytoin (Dilantin) 100 mg po. Available to the nurse i
s Dilantin 125 mg/ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's?
4. The order reads for digoxin 0.5mg po. Available to the nurse is digoxin 0.25
mg/tablet. The nurse would administer how many tablets?
5. The order is for Bactrim 0.5G po. Available to the nurse is Bactrim 250mg/ta
blet. The nurse would administer how many tablets?
6. The physician orders propanolol (Inderal) 80 mg po daily. Available to the nu
rse is Inderal 20 mg/tablet. The nurse would administer how many tablets?
7. The physician orders alprazolom (Xanax) 0.25 mg. Available to the nurse is al
prazolom 0.5 mg/tablet. The nurse would administer how many tablets?
8. The order is for risperidone (Risperdal) 1 mg po daily. Available to the nur
se is risperidone 0.5 mg/ tablet. The nurse would administer how many tablets?
9. The physician's order is for levothyroxine (Synthroid) 1000 mcg to treat the c
lient's hypothyroidism. Available to the nurse is Synthroid 1 mg per tablet. The n
urse would administer how many tablets?
10. The order is for digoxin elixir 0.125 mg po qd. Available to the nurse is di
goxin elixir 0.25 mg per 10 ml. The nurse would administer how many teaspoons?
11. The physician orders phenytoin (Dilantin) 150 mg po tid. Available to the nu
rse is phenytoin (Dilantin) 125 mg/4 ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's
per dose?
12. The order is for ampicillin 0.5 g po q 6hours. Available to the nurse is amp
icillin 250 mg/tablet. The nurse would administer how many tablets per dose?
13. The physician orders sulfisoxazole (Gantrisin) 400 mg po q 12 hours. Availab
le to the nurse is Gantrisin 0.5 g/2 ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's
per dose?
14. The order is for morphine sulfate 3 mg subcutaneous every 4 hours prn. Avail
able to the nurse is morphine sulfate gr per ml. The nurse would administer how
many ml's per dose?
15. The order is for codeine sulfate gr po q 3-4 prn pain. Available to the nurs
e is codeine sulfate 30 mg/tablet. The nurse would administer how many tablets p
er dose?
16. The order is for lactulose 20 g via the ng tube bid. Available to the nurse
is lactulose 10 g/15 ml. The nurse would administer how many ounces per dose?
17. The physician orders morphine sulfate gr. IM. Available to the nurse is mor
phine sulfate 10 mg/ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's?
18. The order is for phenobarbital gr po qid. Available to the nurse is phenobar
bital 60 mg/tablet. The nurse would administer how many tablets per dose?
19. The physician orders glycopyrolate (Robinul) 150 mcg IM stat. Available to t
he nurse is Robinul 0.2 mg/ml. The nurse will administer how many ml's?
20. The order is for trifluoperazine hydrochloride (Stelazine) 15 mg po q 6 hour
s. Available to the nurse is Stelazine 10 mg/tablet. The nurse would administer
how many tablets per dose?2
21. The physician orders ampicillin (Ampicin) 100 mg po q 6 hours. Available to
the nurse is ampicillin 250 mg/5 ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's per
dose?
22. The physician orders metalazone (Zaraxolyn) 7.5 mg po daily. Available to th
e nurse is Zaroxolyn 5 mg/tablet. The nurse would administer how many tablets?
23. The order is for digoxin elixir 0.125 mg po daily. Available to the nurse is
digoxin elixir 0.25 mg/10 ml. The nurse would administer how many teaspoons?
24. The order is for Dilantin 100 mg po twice a day. Available to the nurse is D
ilantin 125 mg/4 ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's per dose?
25. The order is for Ativan 2 mg IM. Available to the nurse is Ativan 4 mg/ml. T
he nurse would administer how many ml's?
26. The order is for Morphine Sulfate 10 mg IM. Available to the nurse is Morphi
ne Sulfate gr per ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's?
27. The order is for Augumentin 0.5 g p.o. q8h. Available to the nurse is Augmen
tin 400 mg/5 ml. The nurse would administer how many ml/dose?
28. The IV order is for 1000 ml D5NS every 8 hours. How many ml/hour will the cl
ient receive?
29. The IV order is for 1000 ml D5/NS @ 83 ml/hour. How long will it take the IV
to infuse?
30. The IV order is for 1000 ml D5W every 12 hours. The IV bag is hung at 1030 h
ours. At what time should the IV be completed?
31. The physician orders penicillin G 1,000,000 units IVPB in 100 ml of NS to in
fuse over 0.25 hours. The IV tubing delivers 10gtts/ml. The rate of the infusion
will be how many gtts/min?
32. The IV order is for 1000 ml D5W with 40 mEq KCL every 8 hour. The IV tubing
delivers 10 gtts/minute. The rate of the IV will be how many gtts/minutes?
33. The order is for 100 ml D5W with 1000 mg of ampicillin IVPB every 6 hours. T
he IV tubing delivers 10 gtts/ml. The instructions from the pharmacist state to
infuse over 30 minutes. The rate of the infusion will be how many gtts/minutes?
34. The order is for 50 ml D5W with 750 mg Cipro IVPB every 8 hours. The IV tubi
ng delivers 10 gtts/ml. The instructions are to infuse over 0.25 hours. The rate
of the infusion will be how many gtts/minutes?
35. The order is for 250 ml of NS with erythromycin 500 mg every 6 hour. The IV
tubing delivers 10 gtts/ml. Instructions are to infuse the IVPB over 45 minutes.
The rate of the infusion will be how many gtts/minute?
36. Acyclovir 400 mg in 100 ml of D5W is ordered to infuse over 0.25 hours. The
IV tubing delivers 10 gtt/ml. The rate of the infusion will be how many gtts/min
?
37. The physician orders gentamycin 60 mg IVPB every 12 hours. Available to the
nurse is 50 ml D5W with 60 mg of gentamycin with instructions to infuse over 30
minutes. The IV tubing delivers 20 gtts/ml. The rate of the IVPB will be how man
y gtts/min?
38. The order is for 1000 ml D5NS every 10 hours. The IV tubing delivers 10 gtts
/ml. The IV is placed on an infusion pump. The nurse would set the pump infusion
rate at how many ml/hr?
39. The physician's order is for 3000 ml of D45 NaCl every 24 hour. The IV tubing
delivers 15 gtts/ml. How many ml/hr will the client receive?
40. The IV order is for 1000 ml D5W with 40 mEq KCl every 12 hours. The IV tubin
g delivers 10 gtts/ml. The rate of the infusion will be how many gtts/minute?
3
Level III and IV
41. The physician's order is for two Tylenol #4 (codeine 60 mg with acetaminophen
500 mg) po prn every 6 hours. The maximum dose of acetaminophen is 4 g per 24 ho
urs. The client has already received 4 tablets today. How many more tablets coul
d the client safely receive within the 24hour timeframe?
42. The physician's order is for filgrastim (Neupogen) 0.3 mg/kg. The client weigh
s 110 pounds. Available to the nurse is Neupogen 50 mg per 3 ml. The nurse would
administer how many ml's?
43. The order is for Epogen 300 units/kg subcutanously today. The client weighs
150 pounds. Available to the nurse is Epogen 20,000 units/ml. The nurse would a
dminister how many ml's?
44. The physician's order is for nitroglycerine 200 micrograms IV stat. Available
to the nurse is a vial of nitroglycerine labeled 0.8mg/ml. The nurse would admi
nister how many ml's?
45. Furosemide 10 mg IVP q 12 hour is ordered for the client in CHF. Available t
o the nurse is furosemide 20 mg/2 ml. How many ml's of the mixture will the nurse
administer?
46. The diabetic client's order is for 16 units of NPH insulin subcutaneously ever
y morning and Regular insulin according to the following sliding scale: 151 - 20
0 2 units 201 - 250 4 units 251 300 6 units 301 350 8 units 351 400 10 units >40
0 Call physician The client's blood sugar is 236. The nurse would administer a tot
al of how many units of insulin?
47. The physician orders morphine sulfate 2 mg IVP q 3 hours prn. Available to t
he nurse is 10 mg/ml. The agency's policy is to mix the ampule with 0.9% NaCl to a
chieve a total of 10 ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's?
48. The physician's order is for acetaminophen 500 mg every 4 hours po prn. The ma
ximum dose of acetaminophen is 4 g per 24 hours. Based on the order, how many ta
blets could the client safely receive in a 24hour period?
49. The physician's order is for (What medication?) 0.3 mg/kg daily x 3. The clien
t weighs 8 pounds. Available to the nurse is 0.3 mg/ml. The nurse would administ
er how many ml's?
50. The diabetic client's order is for 13 units of NPH insulin subcutaneously ever
y morning and Regular insulin according to the following sliding scale: 151 - 20
0 2 units 201 - 250 4 units 251 300 6 units 301 350 8 units 351 400 10 units >40
0 Call physician The client's blood sugar is 236. The nurse would administer a tot
al of how many units of insulin?
51. The physician orders morphine sulfate 2 mg IVP q 3 hours prn. Available to t
he nurse is 10 mg/ml. The agency's policy is to mix the ampule with 0.9% NaCl to a
chieve a total of 10 ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's?
52. Synthroid 1 mcg/ kg IVP is ordered for the client who weighs 165 lbs. Avail
able to the nurse is Synthroid 0.1 mg/ml. The nurse will administer how many ml's?

53. The order is for Bumex 4 mg IVP stat. A vial of 20 ml labeled Bumex 1 mg per
0.5 ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's?
54. Lovenox 1 unit/kg subcutaneously bid is ordered for the client at a risk fo
r a DVT. The client weighs 132 pounds. Available to the nurse is Lovenox 50 unit
s/ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's?
55. The diabetic client is to receive 12 units of NPH at 1600 hours and regular
insulin according to the following sliding scale: 201 250 2 units 251 300 4 unit
s 301 350 6 units 351 400 8 units >400 call the physician The 1600 blood sugar i
s 196. The nurse would administer a total of how many units of insulin?
56. The physician orders morphine sulfate 3 mg IVP. Available to the nurse is a
ampule of morphine labeled 10 mg/ml. The agency's policy is to mix the ampule with
0.9% NaCl to achieve a total of 10 ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's?
57. The physician order is for 1000 ml of D5/.45 NS every 6 hours. The IV tubing
delivers 15 gtts/ml. The IV is placed on an infusion pump. At what rate will th
e nurse set the infusion pump?
58. 500 ml of D5W with 0.5 g theophylline is ordered to infuse at 50 ml/hour. Ho
w many mg/hour will the client receive per hour?
59. The order is for 250 ml of D5W with 1500 mg vancomycin every 18 hours. The p
harmacist's instructions state to infuse the IVPB via an infusion pump over 90 min
utes. At what rate will the IV pump be set?
60. The client's heparin drip is ordered to be increased to 2200 units/hour. The
heparin drip of 250 ml D5W with 25,000 units of heparin is currently infusing at
1800 units/hour. At how many ml/hour will the heparin drip now infuse?
61. The order is for the client to receive a heparin drip at 900 ml/hour. Availa
ble to the nurse is 250 ml D5W with 25,000 units of heparin. The IV tubing deliv
ers 10gtts/ml. How many units of heparin will the client receive per hour?
62. The order is for theophylline 24 mg/hour. Available to the nurse is 1000 ml
D5W with 2 g of theophylline. The nurse would set the rate on the infusion pump
at how many ml/hour?
63. A heparin drip is ordered to infuse at 1100 units/hour. Available to the nur
se is 250 ml D5W with 25,000 unit of Heparin. How many ml/hr will the client rec
eive?
64. The order is for Kefzol 500 mg IVPB every 6 hours. Available to the nurse i
s 50 ml of D5W with 500 mg of Kefzol with instructions to infuse 0.50 hours. The
IVPB is to infuse via an infusion pump. At how many ml's/hour will the nurse set
the pump at?
65. The order is for 250 ml D5W with 25,000 units of heparin to infuse at 850 un
its per hour. The client would receive how many ml/hour?
66. The physician's order is for 1000 ml D5NS to infuse at 150 ml/hr. The IV tubin
g delivers 10 gtts/ml. The rate of the infusion will be how many gtts/min?
67. The physician orders 100 ml of D5W with 20mEq KCl to infuse at 10 mEq/hour.
The rate of the infusion will be how many ml/hr?
68. The heparin drip is infusing at 19 ml/hour. Available to the nurse is 250 m
l of D5W with 25,000 units of heparin. The IV tubing delivers 12 gtts/minute. Ho
w many units/hour is the client receiving?
69. The order is for Kefzol 0.5G IVPB in 100ml 5% D/W to run over 15 minutes. T
he IVPB is to infuse via an infusion pump. The IV tubing delivers 10 gtts/ml. Th
e rate of the infusion will be how many ml's/hour?
70. The order is for 1200 mg of vancomycin in 150 ml of D5W to infuse over 90 mi
nutes via an infusion pump. At what rate would the nurse set the infusion pump?
71. 1000 ml D5W with a 100 mg of Thiamine is ordered for the client with cirrhos
is. The order is to infuse the thiamine at 5mg/hr. The IV is placed on an infusi
on pump. The rate of the infusion will be how many ml/hr?
72. The physician's order is for 10 units of Regular Insulin/hour. Available to th
e nurse is 250 ml NS with 125 units of Regular Insulin with instructions to infu
se with an infusion pump. The rate of the infusion will be how many ml/hr?
73. Calcium gluconate 2000 mg in 100 ml D5W is ordered to infuse at 2 g/hr. The
rate of the infusion via an infusion pump will be how many ml/hr?
74. Diltiazem 5 mg/hr is ordered via an infusion pump. Available to the nurse is
250 ml NS with diltiazem 125 mg. The rate of the infusion will be how many ml/h
r?
75. Aqueous penicillin G 1 million units is ordered IVPB every 6 hours. Availab
le to the nurse is 100 ml D5W with 1 million units of Penicillin G with instruct
ions to infuse over 40 minutes via an infusion pump. The rate of the infusion pu
mp will be how many ml's/hour?
76. Digoxin 2 mcg/ kg IVP is ordered for the client who weighs 165 lbs. Availabl
e to the nurse is digoxin 0.1 mg/ml. The nurse will administer how many ml's?
77. The order is for regular insulin 3 units/hour. Available to the nurse is 100
0 ml D5W with 100 units of regular insulin. The nurse would set the rate of the
infusion pump at how many ml/hour?
78. The order is for KCl 20 mEq in a 100 ml of IV fluid to infuse via an infusio
n pump over 2 hours. At what rate will the nurse set the IV pump?
79. The physician orders the client to receive a bolus of 80 units of heparin pe
r kg of body weight. The client weighs 130 pounds. Available to the nurse is a v
ial of heparin labeled 10,000 units/ml. The nurse would administer how many ml's?
Following administration of the bolus, a heparin drip at 1800 units/hour is to b
e started. Pharmacy prepares the heparin drip, 250 ml of D5W with 25,000 unit of
Heparin. The rate of the infusion will be how many ml/hr?
80. A 250 ml IVPB is ordered to infuse over 75 minutes. The IVPB is placed on an
infusion pump. The IV tubing delivers 15 gtts/ml. The rate of the infusion will
be set at how many ml/hour?

6ANSWERS1. 0.5 ml 41. 4 tablets2. 1.5 tablets 42. 0.9 ml3. 0.8 ml 43. 1.02 ml4. 2
tablets 44. 0.25 ml5. 2 tablets 45. 1 ml6. 4 tablets 46. 20 units7. 0.5 tablet
47. 2 ml8. 2 tablets 48 69. 1 tablet 49. 3.64 ml or 3.6 ml10. 1 tsp 50. 17 units
11. 4.8 ml 51. 2 ml12. 2 tablets 52. 0.75 ml13. 1.6 ml 53. 2 ml14. 0.2 ml 54. 1.
2 ml15. 1.5 tablets 55. 12 units16. 1 ounce 56. 3 ml17. 1.5 ml 57. 166.6 ml/hr o
r 167 ml/hr18. 0.25 tablet 58. 50 mg/hr19. 0.75 ml 59. 166.6 ml/hr or 167 ml/hr2
0. 1.5 tablets 60. 22 ml/hr21. 2 ml 61. 90,000 units/hr22. 1.5 tablets 62. 12 ml
/hr23. 1 tsp. 63. 11 ml/hr24. 3.2 ml 64. 100 ml/hr25. 0.5 ml 65. 8.5 ml/hr26. 0.
67 ml 66. 25 gtt/min27. 6.25 ml 67. 50 ml/hr28. 125 ml 68. 1900 units/hr29. 12 h
ours 69. 400 ml/hr30. 2230 hours 70. 99.99 ml/hr or 100 ml/hr31. 66.66 gtts/min
or 67 gtt/min 71. 50 ml/hr32. 20.83 gtts or 21 gtts/min 72. 20 ml/hr33. 33.33 gt
ts/min or 33 gtts/min 73. 100 ml/hr34. 33.33 gtts/min or 33 gtts/min 74. 10 ml/h
r35. 55.55 gtts/min or 56 gtts/min 75. 150 ml/hr36. 66.66 gtts/min or 67 gtts/mi
n 76. 1.5 ml37. 33.33 gtts/min or 33 gtts/min 77. 30 ml/hr38. 100 ml/hr 78. 50 m
l/hr39. 125 ml/hour 79. 0.47 ml and 18 ml/hour40. 13.8 gtts/min or 14 gtts/min 8
0. 200 ml/hr