#HAPTER 14 s Medications and 1

Calculations

8. Order: trazodone (Desyrel) 150 mg, PO, daily.

Available: Desyrel in 50-mg tablets and 100-mg
tablets.

A. How many tablets should be administered if the 50-mg tablet is used?

a. 1 tablet
b. 2 tablets
c. 3 tablets
d. 4 tablets

B. How many tablets should be administered if the 100-mg tablet is used?

a. ½ tablet
b. 1 tablet
c. 1½ tablets
d. 2 tablets

9. Order: Coumadin (warfarin) 7.5 mg, PO,

daily. Available: (NOTE: Tablet is scored.)

A. Which container of Coumadin should be selected?

a. Coumadin 2 mg
b. Coumadin 4 mg
c. Coumadin 5 mg

B. How many tablets should be administered?

a. ½ tablet
b. 1 tablet
c. 1½ tablets
d. 2 tablets

10. Order: lithium carbonate, 300 mg, PO, t.i.d.

Available: lithium carbonate in 150- and 300-mg capsules, and 300-mg tablets. The patient’s lithium level is
1.8 mEq/L (normal value is 0.5-1.5 mEq/L).

What is the best action by the nurse?

a. Give 150 mg (half the dose).
b. Give 300-mg tablet and not the capsule.
c. Advise the patient not to take the dose for a week.
d. Withhold the drug and contact the health care provider.

Copyright © 2015, 2012, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1993 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
11. Order: carvedilol (Coreg) 25 mg, PO, b.i.d.
Available:

A. How many tablets should be administered per dose?

a. 3 tablets
b. 4 tablets
c. 5 tablets
d. 6 tablets

B. How many tablets should the patient receive in 24 hours?

a. 4 tablets
b. 6 tablets
c. 8 tablets
d. 10 tablets

12. Order: azithromycin (Zithromax) 400 mg, daily first day, then 200 mg, daily next 4
days. Available:

A. How many mL should be administered the first day?

a. 10 mL/day
b. 15 mL/day
c. 20 mL/day
d. 25 mL/day

B. How many mL should be administered per day for the next 4 days?
a. 5 mL/day
b. 8 mL/day
c. 10 mL/day
d. 15 mL/day
 #HAPTER 14 s Medications and 51
Calculations

13. Order: trihexyphenidyl (Artane) Elixir 1 mg, PO, b.i.d.

Available: Artane 2 mg/5 mL.

What amount should be administered?

a. 1/2 teaspoon
b. 2 teaspoons
c. 3 teaspoons
d. 4 teaspoons

14. Order: doxycycline (Vibra-Tabs), 0.2 g, PO first day, then 0.1 g, PO daily for 6
days. Available:

How many tablets should the patient receive the first day, then how many tablets per day for 6 days?
a. 2 for the first day and then 2 tablets for each of the following days
b. 2 for the first day and then 1 tablet for each of the following days
c. 3 for the first day and then 2 tablets for each of the following days
d. 3 for the first day and then 1 tablet for each of the following days

15. Order: digoxin 0.25 mg, PO, daily.

Available: digoxin (Lanoxin) 0.125-mg tablets. The drug comes in 0.25-mg tablets, but that strength of tablet is
not available.

How many tablets should be administered?

a. 1 tablet
b. 1½ tablets
c. 2 tablets
d. 2½ tablets

Copyright © 2015, 2012, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1993 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
16. A patient is scheduled to take Lanoxin 0.25 mg. The hospital is currently out of stock of Lanoxin 0.25 and only
has 0.125-mg doses on hand. The patient is concerned as she receives the pills because they are a different color
and a different amount from what she takes daily. When the patient questions the tablets, what is the nurse’s
best response?
a. “Please don’t worry; it is because we use generic drugs.”
b. “Please don’t worry; I calculated this carefully and it is your regular dose.”
c. “We don’t have the 0.25-mg tablets available, so you must take two pills of a different strength.”
d. “You are right, this is the wrong dosage. I will be right back with the correct one.”

17. Order: Augmentin, 400 mg, PO,

q6h. Available:

How many mL should be administered?

a. 4 mL
b. 8 mL
c. 12 mL
d. 16 mL

18. Order: cefadroxil (Duricef) 1 g, PO,

daily. Available:

How many mL should be administered?

a. 5 mL
b. 10 mL
c. 15 mL
d. 20 mL
52 #HAPTER 14 s Medications and
Calculations

19. Order: prazosin (Minipress) 10 mg, PO, daily.

Available: prazosin 1-mg, 2-mg, and 5-mg
tablets.

Which tablet should be selected, and how many should be administered?

a. The 1-mg tablet; 5 pills should be given.
b. The 5-mg tablets; 2 pills should be given.
c. The 5-mg tablets; 5 pills should be given.
d. The 2-mg tablets; 3 pills should be given.

20. Order: carbidopa-levodopa (Sinemet), 12.5-125 mg, PO, b.i.d.

Available: Sinemet 25-100–mg, 25-250–mg, and 10-100–mg
tablets.

Which tablet should be selected, and how many should be administered?

a. The 25-100–mg tablet; ½ tablet should be given.
b. The 25-100–mg tablet; 1 tablet should be given.
c. The 10-100–mg tablet; 2 tablets should be given.
d. The 10-100–mg tablet; 1 tablet should be given.
e. The 25-250–mg tablet; ½ tablet should be given.
f. The 25-250–mg tablet; 1 tablet should be given.

21. Order: Ceclor 150 mg, PO, q8h.

Available:

How many mL should the patient receive per dose?

a. 4 mL
b. 6 mL
c. 8 mL
d. 10 mL

22. Order: ampicillin (Principen) 0.5 g, PO, q6h.

Available:

How many mL should the patient receive per dose?

a. 10 mL
b. 15 mL
c. 20 mL
Copyright © 2015, 2012, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1993 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
 #HAPTER 14 s Medications and 53
d. 25 mL Calculations

Copyright © 2015, 2012, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1993 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
 Section 14D—Calculations of Injectable Dosages
Select the best response.

1. What is/are the method(s) for administering medications by parenteral routes? (Select all that apply.)
a. Via a nasogastric tube
b. Subcutaneous
c. Intramuscular
d. Intradermal
e. Intravenous
f. Any liquid medication via all routes

2. What is/are the route(s) of administration for insulin and heparin? (Select all that apply.)
a. Oral
b. Intramuscular
c. Subcutaneous
d. Intravenous
e. Intradermal

3. Vials are glass containers with (self-sealing rubber tops/tapered glass necks). Vials are usually
(discarded/reusable if properly stored). (Circle correct answer.)

4. Before drug reconstitution, the nurse should check the drug circular and/or drug label for instructions. After a
drug has been reconstituted and additional dose(s) are available, what should the nurse write on the drug label?
(Select all that apply.)
a. Date to discard
b. Initials
c. The health care provider’s order
d. What it is reconstituted with

5. A tuberculin syringe (is/is not) used for insulin administration. (Circle correct answer.)

6. Insulin syringes are calibrated in (units/mL). (Circle correct answer.)

7. After use of a prefilled cartridge and Tubex injector, which piece(s) of equipment should be discarded?
a. Cartridge
b. Cartridge and Tubex injector
c. Neither cartridge nor Tubex injector
d. Tubex injector

8. The nurse is preparing an IM injection for an adult. What should be used for the needle gauge and length?
a. 20, 21 gauge; ½, 5/8 inch in length
b. 23, 25 gauge; ½, 5/8 inch in length
c. 19, 20, 21 gauge; 1, 1½, 2 inches in length
d. 25, 26 gauge; 1, 1½ inches in length

9. Which two parts of a syringe must remain sterile?

a. Outside of syringe and plunger
b. Tip of the syringe and plunger
c. Both the tip and outside of the syringe
d. Tip and outside of syringe and plunger
10. Subcutaneous injections can be administered at which degree angle(s)?
a. 10-degree and 15-degree angles
b. 45-degree, 60-degree, and 90-degree angles
c. 45-degree angle only
d. 90-degree angle only

11. The nurse calculates the drug dosage to be 0.25 mL. What type of syringe should be selected?
a. 3-mL syringe
b. Insulin syringe
c. Tuberculin syringe
d. 10-mL syringe

12. To mix 4 mL of sterile saline solution in a vial containing a powdered drug, which size syringe should be selected?
a. Tuberculin syringe
b. Insulin syringe
c. 3-mL syringe
d. 5-mL syringe

Determine how many mL to give.

13. Order: heparin 3000 units, subQ, q6h.

Available:

A. Which heparin should be selected?

a. The 10,000 units/mL vial
b. The 5000 units/mL vial

B. If the 5000 units/mL is chosen, how many mL should be administered?

a. 0.2 mL
b. 0.4 mL
c. 0.6 mL
d. 0.8 mL

14. Order: codeine ½ gr q4-6h, subQ, PRN.

Available: Prefilled drug cartridge contains 60 mg/1 mL.

How many mL should be administered?

a. ½ mL
b. 1 mL
c. 1½ mL
d. 2 mL
15. Order: morphine sulfate 1/6 gr subQ,
STAT. Available:

How many mL would you give?

a. 0.5 mL
b. 0.6 mL
c. 0.7 mL
d. 0.8 mL

16. Order: Humulin L insulin 36 units, subQ,

qAM. Available:

Indicate on the insulin syringe the amount of insulin to be withdrawn.

17. Order: regular insulin 8 units and NPH 44 units, subQ, qAM.
Available: (NOTE: These insulins can be mixed together in the same insulin syringe.)

A. Indicate on the insulin syringe the amount of each insulin to be withdrawn.

5 #HAPTER 14 s Medications and Calculations

B. Which insulin should be drawn up first?

a. Either one can be drawn first
b. The NPH insulin
c. The regular insulin
d. Neither; they should not be given together

18. Order: digoxin 0.25 mg, IM, STAT. (NOTE: Usually digoxin is administered intravenously; however, in this
prob- lem, IM is indicated.)
Available:

How many mL should be administered?

a. ½ mL
b. 1 mL
c. 1½ mL
d. 2 mL

19. Order: vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) 400 mcg, IM, daily for 5 days.
Available:

A. Which prefilled cartridge should be selected?

a. Select the 1000-mcg cartridge.
b. Select the 100-mcg cartridge.

B. How many mL should be administered?

a. 0.4 mL
b. 0.6 mL
c. 0.8 mL
d. 1 mL

Copyright © 2015, 2012, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1993 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.
 #HAPTER 14 s Medications and 57
Calculations

20. Order: clindamycin 300 mg, IM, q6h.

Available:

How many mL should be administered?

a. 1 mL
b. 2 mL
c. 3 mL
d. 4 mL

21. Order: meperidine (Demerol) 60 mg, IM, and atropine 0.5 mg, IM, preoperatively.
Available: (NOTE: These drugs are compatible and can be mixed in the same
syringe.)

A. How many mL of meperidine should be discarded?

a. 0.2 mL
b. 0.3 mL
c. 0.4 mL
d. 0.5 mL

B. How many mL of meperidine and how many mL of atropine should be administered?

a. meperidine 0.4 mL and atropine 1.25 mL
b. meperidine 0.6 mL and atropine 0.7 mL
c. meperidine 0.6 mL and atropine 1.25 mL
d. meperidine 0.4 mL and atropine 0.7 mL