NSG-430 Medication Math Practice Packet

Practice
Students will complete the math problems assigned for verification of completion in class during review.
Students are given three attempts to pass the Medication Math Benchmark at a 90% achievement level.
Remediation
Students who do not pass a benchmark exam must make an appointment to remediate with the instructor.
The instructor will provide this packet of medication math problems at the remediation appointment. The
instructor may also provide the key to assist the student in checking for competency.
In the event the third attempt has not met proficiency, the student may not continue to advance in the
nursing program.

Med Math Competencies

1.a Convert measures within the metric system.

1.b Convert household measures to the metric system.
1.c. Convert kilograms to pounds and pounds to kilograms.
1. d. Determine the amount of an IV medication needed to administer the prescribed amount.
1. e. Calculate the dosage amount of tablets, capsules, and liquid volume (oral or parenteral)
needed to administer the prescribed medication dose.
1. f. Calculate dosages of heparin and insulin in units/hour.
1.g. Calculate mL/hour of IV infusion
1. h. Calculate dosages of medications for subcutaneous and intramuscular routes in solutions in
vials and ampules.
1. i Round according to directions.
1. j. Calculate the drug dosages according to body weight.
1. k. Calculate dosages for reconstituted medications.
1. l. Calculate and explain if prescribed dosage is safe.
1. m. Calculate gtts/minute of prescribed IV solutions.
1. n. Calculate time of completion for prescribed medication.

Dimensional Analysis Grid for Solutions—copy and paste under problem to show work
 Solve for guide here ​Numbers, conversion and data here

Practice Questions: Rounding (Competency 1i)

1. Round 5.25 to the nearest tenth. 5.3
2. Round 3.12 to the nearest tenth. 3. 1
3. Round 4.98 to the nearest tenth. S

4. Round 3.517 to the nearest hundredth. 3.52

Converting (Competencies: 1a, 1b, 1c)

7000 mL
5. 7L is equal to ______

930
6. 45 mL is equal to ____ tsp
2 Tbsp
7. 1 ounce/s is equal to _____ mL and _____ 2.21B 1kg
=

8. Convert 102 kilograms to pounds and round answer to the nearest tenth

9: 224.4 Ibs

** Round to Tenths/One Decimal unless otherwise directed **

Questions With Weight (Competencies: 1j, 1e)

9. Prescription: A medication is ordered for 15 mg/kg. The client weighs 55 kg. What is the correct
dose in mg for this client?

825 m
max Sk9
=

10. Prescription: A medication is ordered for 40 units/kg IV. The client weighs 181 pounds. What is
the correct dose for this client?

x=
82.27 kg
x*9=3290.9 units

11. Infant weighs 3225 g. Prescription: 4 mg/kg/day in 4 divided doses. Available: 5 mg/mL.

ig'goo
 How many mg will the nurse give in one dose? (Round dose to the nearest hundredth/two
decimals)

dax, 3 59:3. mg e
MgY
x

How many mL will the nurse administer in one dose? (Round volume to the nearest hundredth)

-3mgmt 0.
=

12. Child weighs 41 pounds Prescription: 2.5 mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses. Available: 7.5 mg/mL.
-

How many milligrams (mg) will be administered per day? (Round dose to the nearest tenth/one
decimal.)
g
mg/day in
Smgx 9x*b
46.4
=

day

How many mL will be administered per dose? (Round to tenth.)

Mgx smg: mil

3.1 dose

13. Child weighs 66 pounds. Prescription: 25,000 Units/kg. Available: 250,000 units/tablet. How many
tablets will the nurse administer? (Round to tenths/one decimal.)

20xxbxtoy" 3 tabs

Drawing Medications From a Vial (Competencies 1h, 1k)

14. Prescription: A medication is ordered for 7,000 units SQ every morning.

Available: The 5 ml vial on hand is 10,000 units per mL.
How many milliliters (mL) will the nurse need to draw up in the syringe? (Round to tenths.)
NL

14x =
0.2 me
 15. Prescription: The medication order is for 20mg/IM/BID.
Available: The vial on hand is 30 mg/mL.
How many milliliters (mL) will the nurse need to draw up in the syringe? (Round to tenths.)
ML

myx mg= 0.7 mL

16. Prescription: Cefipime 250 mg/IM/Q6H.

Available: Vial with powder label reads: For IM injection, add 2.2 mL diluent which results in a
concentration of 225mg per mL. Use solution within 1 hour. How many mL will the nurse administer?
Round to tenths.
ML

me g=1.1 mi dose

17. Prescribed: Cefazol 750 mg/IM x one dose.

-
Available: Vial with powder label reads: For IM injection, add 1.6 mL diluent which results in
concentration of 440 mg per mL. Use solution within 1 hour. How many mL will the nurse administer?

Which muscle group would be best to administer this into? What size needle should be used?
↳ deltoid,
ventrogluteal,
maxing
1.2 me
+ thigh.
linch needle 2SG

Oral Liquids (Competencies 1a, 1b, 1e)

18. Prescription: Azithromycin 500 mg once a day for 4 days.

Available: 250 mg per 5 ml.
How many mL will the nurse administer daily?

mex ig: 1M

How many teaspoons will the nurse administer per dose?

my ISP 2 sp
+

=
 I 18
19. Prescription: Augmentin 0.75 grams oral suspension Q 12 hours per feeding tube.
Available: Amoxicillin/clavulanate 250 mg in 5 ml oral suspension.
How many milliliters (mL) will the nurse administer?

9 mg, mc
20. Prescription: PO Liquid Acetaminophen 20 mg/kg for child that weighs 17.7 lb.
Available: 5ml contains 160mg in an oral suspension.
How many milliliters (mL) will the nurse administer?

19x*x 5m
How many teaspoons per dose?

x= 1 sp +

Practice Questions With Pills/Tablets (Competency 1e)

21. Prescription: A client is ordered 150 mg metoprolol tartrate twice a day.

Available: 100 mg tablets are available.
How many tablets will you give per dose?

omg a=1.5 tae

22. Prescription: A client is ordered baby aspirin 160 mg once a day.
Available: 320 milligram tablets are available.
How many tablets will you give per dose?

Max g0.S tabs

23. Prescription: A client is ordered 5 mg amlodipine.
Available: 2.5 milligram tablets are available.
How many tablets will you give per dose?

-Max ag:
2 asse
IV Calculation for Programming Electronically Regulated Flow Rates
(Competency 1g)

When solving for rate using pump programming:

1. Must know what to round answer to (should be given in problem or by facility policy)
2. Solve for mL/hr

12 1000ML
=

24. Prescription: Infuse 0.25 liters of NS over 6 hours. What rate will the nurse program the pump to
- -

deliver the prescribed dose?

ML

8 mc=41.2 muh r Ir

25. Prescription: Phenergan 25mg in 50 mL NS to infuse over 15 minutes. What rate will the nurse
program the pump to deliver the prescribed dose?

mom/n 200
=

m or M
26. Prescription: Infuse 750 mL LR over 3 hours. What rate will the nurse program the pump to
deliver the prescribed dose?

som: 250 m r

27. Prescription: Infuse 1750 mL D5NS in 8 hours. What rate will the nurse program the pump to
deliver the prescribed dose?

Om 218.8 Mu r
=

28. Prescription: Infuse 1 liter D5LR over 12 hours. What rate will the nurse program the pump to
deliver the prescribed dose? How many liters will the client receive in 24 hours? 24 hours = 2
liters

isrs:2) me :83.3
 29. Prescription: Ampicillin 1.5 g IVPB diluted in 75 mL D5W to infuse in 30 minutes. What rate will
the nurse program the pump to deliver the prescribed dose?

mix min:150 m er

30. Prescription: Cefazolin 1 gm in 100 mL NS to infuse in 15 minutes. What rate will the nurse
program the pump to deliver the prescribed dose?

mx min or
400
= m

IV Calculation for Manually Regulated Flow Rate (Competency 1m)

When solving for rate using gravity:

1. Must know drop factor (gtt/mL).
2. Round answer to m
nearest whole drop.
3. Solve for gtt/min.

!10
31. Prescription: Infuse 1 Liter NS bolus IV over 5 hours. Drop factor of tubing is 20 gtt/mL. How
many drops per minute will the nurse administer?

n
↳xix xm_67g
32. Prescription: Infuse 500 mL D 5% 0.45NS to infuse in 3 hours. Drop factor is 15 gtt/mL. How
many drops per minute will the nurse administer?

some in 42 gttli e
t
33. Prescription: Infuse 1000 ml of D5.45NS with 20mEqK to infuse over 12 hours. Drop factor is 10
gtt/mL. How many drops per minute will the nurse administer?

domx in= 14 gitli in

 34. Prescription: Administer Unasyn 1000 mg in 150 mL D5W IV to be infused in 45 minutes. Drop
factor is microdrip = 60gtt/mL.
How many drops per minute will the nurse administer?

omx =200gtt/mi
in

35. Prescription: Administer Keflin 500 mg in 250 mL NS is ordered to be infused in 90 minutes.

Drop factor is microdrip = 60 gtt/mL.
How many drops per minute will the nurse administer?

x9=167 gt lmi he

Calculate Dosages of Heparin and Insulin in Units Per Hour (Competency

1f)

36. Prescription: Heparin 3200 units/hr IV by infusion pump. The IV label reads: Heparin 25,000 units
in 500 mL of D5W.
At what rate will you program the pump to infuse the ordered dose?

L
Box =64 mr /nr
37. When you assess your client at the beginning of a shift you see that the client has an IV infusion of
heparin 25,000 units in 250 mL of normal saline via infusion pump. The pump is set at 25 mL/hr.
- -

The MAR indicates that the order is heparin 1700 units/hr/IV.

Is the pump set at the correct rate?
-
a. What dosage is infusing at this rate?o!
b. What should be the rate? M

Fr
omx4= 1 m her
m

38. Prescription: infuse Regular Insulin 100 units in 200ml .9NS is running at 9 ml/hr. Calculate the
dosage in units per hour.

o"xa 4.54
=

() r
 39. ​Prescription: Infuse regular insulin 50 units in 100ml .9NS to run at 17.25 units/hr. Calculate the
rate in ml per hour.

um, 84=
34.5 muh r -
Calculate Dosages of Titrated Medications Based on Weight per Hour
(Competency 1g, 1j)
is
40. Prescription: Dopamine 17 mcg/kg/min for client with weight of 64.7 kg
-

Available: 400mg in 250 ml of D5W.

ing
What rate will the nurse program the pump to deliver the prescribed dose?

omx x x mpgin=41.2 I

41. Prescription: Milrinone 0.7mcg/kg/min for client weight of 202.2 lb.

Available: 20mg in 100ml of D5W.

in
What will the pump be programmed at to infuse the prescribed dose?
me,
comy" are
100ML
tax, m/g 1000

19.3 mc/hr
=

42. Prescription: Nipride 6 mcg/kg/min for client weight of 109 lb.

Available: 50mg in 250 ml of D5W.

man
What will the pump be programmed at to infuse the correct dose?

itis
on , 89.2 milhr
-

Calculate and Explain If Prescribed Dosage Is Safe (Competency 1L)

43. Prescription: Ampicillin IV 5 grams every 6 hours.

Recommended dose: Do not exceed 14 grams/day.

Zog/day
Calculate and explain if the prescribed dose is safe.

not safe dose!

"
doses:
-
 44. Prescription: Ibuprofen 800 mg PO every 6 hours.
-

Recommended dose: 400-800 mg 3-4 times daily (not to exceed 3200 mg/day).
-

Calculate and explain if the prescribed dose is safe.

safe dosea
mg, 4 doses:3200mg:

0000 04000800
45. ​Prescription: Cefazolin IV 1.5 grams every 4 hours.
Recommended dose: Do not exceed 6000 mg /day. 1200 1000 2000

,me,
Calculate and explain if the prescribed dose is safe.

soomg xhe doses:gooong

-not safe!
Calculate Time of Completion for Prescribed Medication (Competency 1n)

46. Prescription: IV of 1000 mL to infuse at 80 mL/hr. The IV is started at 2330. What time will the
- -

infusion be complete?

↑
2400 + 12 hrs=
2330 30min
=
+

1200

om2Soi e
47. Prescription: IV of 750 mL to infuse at 225 mL/hr. The infusion is begun at 1035. What time will
the infusion be complete?
-

↑M
1035 3hrs
+
1335+ 18min
=
=

1353

↳mr=
3hrs+lom in
 48. Prescription: IV of 650 mL remaining to infuse at 60 mL/hr. Presently it is 1950. What time will

0550+48min-
the infusion be complete?

10 hrs
=

1950
+

-
10MiR
0600+38 min=
38 min

0038
on 10.8
lohrs
=

48 min
49. Prescription: A home health client is taking ibuprofen 200 mg/PO every 6 hours for osteoarthritis
-
pain. Look at the patient’s bottle of ibuprofen. How many days will the bottle last?
-

omg
TAD
tabs
days
4 doses =
800mg 11 day
Order:

me 4tabs/day = 6 daysa

Available:

Days:

OR Combine all calculations

50. Prescription: Augmentin 100 mg BID. How many full doses does this vial hold?
 doses
250 mg/5 mL

vial
IOOmg
-
2 full doses
2xday

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