Dosage Calculations

Leny Vicente-Baguio RN,MN

The 17 Rights of Medication Administration
1- right patient 9- right time
2- right drug/medication 10- right reason/diagnosis
11-right assessment
3- right dose
12-right patient response
4- right preparation 13-right patient education
5- right order 14-right to refuse medication
6- right frequency 15-right expiration date
7- right storage handling 16-right documentation
17-right universal precautions
8- right route
 Terms
• apothecary system: a very old system of measure
-use by apothecaries or pharmacists;
-minim
-grain
• Clark’s rule: is based on a 150-lb person); it states
child’s dose = weight of child (lb)x average adult dose
150 mo
x average adult dose
 Terms
• Fried’s rule: pediatric drug dose for a child
younger than 1 year of age, based on the
child’s age and the usual adult dose (assumes
that an adult dose would be appropriate for a
12.5-year-old child); it states
child’s dose (age 1 y) = weight of child (mo)
150 mo
x average adult dose
Terms
• metric system: the most widely used
system of measure.
– decimal system.

• ratio and proportion: an equation in

which a ratio containing two known
equivalent amounts.
 Terms
• Young’s rule: a method for determining pediatric
drug dose based on the child’s age and the usual
adult dose; it states
5
Compute the following:
• 1 gr= ______ mcg
A. 60
B. 100
C. 600
D. 60,000
Solution:
1. Correct answer: D
Remember: 1 gr = 60mg
Compute the following:
• Q: 0.08mg = gr
 Slide Title
1. The physician’s order reads “Infuse 1,500 ml of D₅W
in 12 hours.” What is the correct flow rate of this
isotonic solution when the drop factor is 15 gtt = 1
ml?
Ans:

1,500 ml ₓ ¹15 gttₓ 1hr ₌ 1,500gtt =31.25 or 31 gtt/minute

12 hr 1 ml ₄60min 48 min
2. A patient is to receive a microdrip infusion of 1,000 ml of
normal (0.9%) saline solution over 24 hours. The drop factor
is 60 mcgtt = 1 ml. What is the correct flow rate?

• 1,000 mlₓ ¹60 mcgtt ₓ 1 hr ₌ 1,000 mcgtt ₌ 41.66 or 42 mcgtt/minute

24 hr 1 ml ₁60min 24 min
3. At 3 pm a patient must receive 1 g of cefazolin
(Ancef) intravenous piggyback (IVPB) in 150 ml of
dextrose 5% in water (D₅W), to be infused over 30
minutes. The drop factor is 10 gtt = 1 ml. What is the
correct flow rate for this antibiotic solution?
• ⁵150 ml ₓ 10 gtt ₌ 50 gtt/minute
₁30 min 1 ml